Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Scar
by Shikidara
Summary: In this alternate history, Katara uses her vial of spirit water to heal Zuko's scar; in turn, Zuko is convinced to aid the entire team in escaping from Ba Sing Se, Aang being killed in the avatar state in the process. From there, they must revive Aang and deliver him to his destiny.
1. The Avatar State

Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Scar

Chapter 1: The Avatar State

"Oh no...no, no, no! He's not waking up! Where's the spirit water...?" Katara asked as she scrambled for her vial.

"Put it down, you already used it on me...I ruin everything I'm involved with..." Zuko lamented.

"This can't be happening...this has to be some type of dream! Aang can't be dead! He's going to come back. He has to."

"Katara...you're just going to have to accept the fact that he's done," Sokka said.

"HE CAN'T BE DEAD! THE FIRE NATION CAN'T WIN!"

"Twinkle Toes really ate it, didn't he?" Toph said.

"THIS ISN'T A JOKE, TOPH! HE'S NOT WAKING UP, BUT HE HAS TO! This is sordid...what are we going to do without him?"

"Well…we honor his memory, we fight. We keep on with it, until all of us are dead. That's what he would want," Zuko stated.

"And for what? We're still going to lose; Aang was the last beacon of hope. Now that he's gone, we'll just have to wait for another avatar to come around. We raise him or her, and he or she can fight the Fire Lord!" Toph exclaimed.

"...you don't get it, do you, Toph? He was in the avatar state. Do you know what happens to those who are killed while in that?"

"I'm not the expert on this, Sokka, _you are_. _You_ worry about stuff like that; I'm just the earthbending instructor."

"No, I refuse to believe what I'm hearing. This. Can't. Be. Happening! Are you _actually_ telling me that we're never going to have another?" Katara queried.

"...yes. Sorry, Katara...I think the Fire Nation just won the war."

"Stop talking like that, Sokka. The Fire Nation didn't win anything, they may have Ba Sing Se, but most of the world is still free," Zuko interjected.

"That scar is the reason we're in this predicament! If I'd just used my head—" Katara yelled.

"I know, I know, but there must be _some_ place where we can get more of the water you need," Sokka said.

"There is...but it'll take us an entire season to get there! And we only have three months left..."

"Don't forget the invasion, too," Toph said.

"What invasion?" Zuko asked.

"...should we tell him?" Sokka asked the others.

"He came along with us, didn't he? No secrets, it's not like he can tell anyone, anyway," Toph said.

"Okay, Zuko, new member of Team...Sort of Avatar, the invasion, as it's called, is the surprise attack on the Fire Nation that will take place on a day we like to call the 'Day of Black Sun...'"

"A solar eclipse!"

"Precisely. On this date, the Earth Kingdom and...woah, no Earth Kingdom anymore. This complicates things..."

"Just continue. Tell me what you have planned; I can probably help."

"Well, anyway, maybe a ragtag team and our group will stage an invasion, attacking the Fire Lord when he is most vulnerable."

"This sounds like an awesome plan...who've you told?"  
"That may add complications to our little problem...the Earth Kingdom knows."

"So the invasion is history, then. If people in the Earth Kingdom know, it's only a matter of time before Fire Nation forces catch wind of it too. They might already be aware."

"We've...we've truly lost. Don't you see now, Zuko? The war is over! Aang is dead, the Fire Nation knows about what we've got planned, we might as well lay down and die!"

"Sokka, you keep talking like that and I'm going to give you a scar that Katara won't be able to heal. Anyway, tell me where they've got this spirit water."

"Not like it matters but...North Pole."

"Great, we'll start heading there now."

"Why? Aang's dead. It won't matter when we reach that place. Do you know how long it'll take to prep him for the Fire Lord? It'll be like waiting a month for a firecracker to go off!" Katara lamented.

"...you're supposed to be the one that provides that motherly morale, Katara. And besides, this is our only shot. Maybe we can train Aang after we've revived him, see if he can do any damage. It's loads better than nothing. If we give up now, what was the point of fighting in the first place? Aang isn't the reason we fight. A free world is the reason we fight," Toph explained.

"Whether you like it or not, Katara, we're going to the North Pole. It's our last vestige of hope; Aang never would've wanted us to stop fighting," Sokka said as he directed Appa in the northern direction.

"What about your invasion plan?" Zuko asked.

"No dice this time. No point in a surprise attack if it isn't going to be a surprise. Sure, the Fire Nation may be weak for one day, but they'll have decades upon decades in which they'll be stronger than a hundred suns if we don't get Aang, the _avatar_, back in action. Think about it like this: if we don't revive Aang, _there will be no hope left_. He is the avatar, and he died in the avatar state. He's our last chance, as always," Sokka said melancholy.

"...I trust you, big brother. ...I suppose I don't have a choice either, none of us do."

"We'll get through this, I promise."

Katara was traumatized in every sense of the word. Not only had she watched her friend die right in front of her eyes, she had witnessed first-hand the destruction of the rebellion that they had led for more than half a year. Their victory-march was completely decimated, the remnants faltering to the ground in the forms of belligerent fire, some of which would be used to track down their now decrepit search party turned-caravan to the north. They had little time, and little to no pit-stops could afford to be made.

Even though the avatar was dead, they were still international criminals; Azula wouldn't relent in her search for them: _no loose ends_. Zuko was adamant about the fact that his sister would stop at nothing to find the remaining members of Aang's team. It was almost as if they were going to have to fight an entire army of firebenders empowered by Sozin's Comet on each day.

"How long do you think it'll take?" Zuko asked.

"Well, lucky for us, our new firebending instructor...we're pretty close to the North Pole. Bad news, though...Fire Nation troops are stationed all throughout the mountains, loading into Ba Sing Se. We can't go over the ocean to the northeast; Appa needs food too."

"Sokka, you _do_ realize that if the Fire Nation sees us, as well as the direction we're heading in, they'll know that we're heading towards the North Pole, right? I'm certain the people there can't handle another invasion...especially one within the proximity of six months."

"Katara's right...we'll have to be sneaky. If my sister catches whiff of any of our movements, she's sure to follow. _No loose ends_."

"Perfect, we'll catch some disguises once we're out of the city limits and be on our way! The Fire Nation'll never know what hit 'em! Team Avatar's back in action!"

"Glad that you're so upbeat, Sokka, we'll need it...between you and me, you're going to have to be the center of morale for now, Katara looks...defeated," Zuko inferred.

"I know...we'll all have to console her for a little while, until we can get Aang back. That reminds me, we need to find some way of hiding his body. I'm sure I don't need to tell you what'll happen if _anyone_ gets a hold of it."

"Sokka...thanks for so readily accepting me onto the team. I won't let you down!"

"I know you won't...things are too important for that to happen now. This is why we can't keep secrets from each other. Do you understand?"

"Definitely!"

Azula was ecstatic, she'd never felt this accomplished at any point in her life thus far. She had done the impossible. She had killed the avatar. Whether or not she knew about the avatar state's inherent weakness was irrelevant at this point; the avatar would be a passing moment in war history to the Fire Nation, a footnote before the country's eventual conquest of the entire planet. Soon, she would be Fire Lord, instituting a number of policies and laws to keep the citizens of her new world in chains, unable to free themselves from the seemingly righteous tyranny of the now embezzled Fire Nation.

Her country would make great strides in technology, the arts, science, writing, and a plethora of other fields. She would show the entire world that being a citizen of the Fire Nation made one better than all the rest, in its own right. She would exemplify the strength and veracity of the newly crowned empress of the world, all succeeding her dangerous and methodical father.

"Congratulations on your victory, Princess," a member of the Dai Li complimented.

"Victories are claimed over altercations that require effort. This required folly security measures and an easily swayed underground agency.

I want to return to the Fire Nation as soon as I possibly can. Father will have new orders that I wish to carry out to receive the ultimate victory."

"Yes, your highness. What about the survivors?"

"That reminds me. Bring me Iroh."

"Your hubris will be your downfall, my _niece_. I shudder at even deeming you a member of my family..."

"You always had faith in little Zuzu...but, then again, you _are_ a traitor to your own people. So I'll make this simple: tell me where they're heading; brainwashing will be in order until you divulge those details to me."

"If you think that I'm going to betray my own friends, like you, you're exorbitantly mistaken. The free world will stop the Fire Nation, you in particular, and the Fire Nation will pay for what it has done."

"You don't even consider your own country a part of you anymore, do you?"

"It was not my country from the moment that first airship landed at the Air temple."

"Bring in more agents for me, Kim, the re-education must come under way..."

A large apparatus was brought into the stone prison cell. Azula stepped out of the room, and let the Dai Li agents set to work on affixing the machine to Iroh's body. Once the device was hooked to Azula's uncle, the agents gradually began turning it on, utilizing the levels of hypnosis to aid in the eventual control of the ostentatious firebender.

"The Fire Nation is the greatest country on Earth. It would be a crime not to serve them."

Once. Twice. Three times. Four times. And so on. Azula sat and watched, growing impatient to her uncle's ingrained tenacity. He was trained to defy the practices of hypnosis, meaning that even greater methods were needed to crack the decorated former general.

"Princess, we're going to need to be a little more vehement in our re-education. Perhaps torture is in order?"

"Do what you must. I need the information he harbors."

"Before we continue, do you know any of your uncle's worst fears? If hallucinogens are needed, we can certainly oblige."

"He fears...he fears the world's capitulation from freedom. Hallucinogens _will_ be needed. Retrieve them."

"Yes, your majesty."

The drugs were fetched. They were hastily fed to the poor man, who struggled to regain the small amount of sanity he had managed to retain. He would not be able to hold out for much longer, and who could blame him? He knew that he was not far out from revealing the plans of the now damaged posse that Aang had managed to gather. He hoped that they were far away from Ba Sing Se, far removed from the kingdom itself.

"All of the images you are currently viewing can be dispelled if you simply tell me where they are and what they plan to do."

"Never...betray...family!"

"I _am_ your family. I'll grant you amnesty if you comply."

"I'll...never...make...a...deal...with...the...devil!"

"The Fire Nation will rule whether or not you divulge the information you harbor. You simply facilitate or catalyze the process. Just tell me, it'll make the matter worlds easier for me. How about this? I'll protect your nephew."

"Zuko...would die...before handing...anything over to you!"

"Uncle...did you ever know your beloved family member? Did you see his eyes? I did...right before he attacked me. In that instant, I knew exactly what he was feeling: ambivalence, indecisiveness, fear. He knew that if he helped the avatar, not only would he be branded as a much more dangerous criminal than he was already seen as being; he would be killed on sight. He knew that, and yet he still made his decision. Do you understand why I am telling you this?"

"Unfortunately...I don't."

"Pity, and you're one of the smartest men my country has to offer...he has a chance to come back to the Fire Nation because we both know he wants to. He doesn't want the life of a nomad; he wants to be a prince, he wants to have that lavish lifestyle...he wanted to capture the avatar."

"Is it...not evident...to you...that he has changed?"

"People, _especially_ Zuko, do not change within a matter of months; he took a total one-eigthy; I don't expect him to sustain that. Soon, I will capture him, or maybe he'll come to me. One of the two; I know my big brother much better than you ever did. It's a shame I can't kill you; my father won't allow me to. He wants you to be made an example of back in the capital. However...if you do indeed escape...he's granted me full authority to end your miserable existence. Please entertain me and vie for that freedom; it will satisfy my blood lust until I get my hands on that little group the avatar formed..."

Azula ordered that Iroh be put to sleep for the time being; the agents did as they were instructed. The next day, a caravan of earthbenders and firebenders set out for the Fire Nation capital; many restraints were put on the decrepit old man to ensure that no escaping would be attempted. In about half a month's time, he would be back in his old country, one he would no longer see as his home. He knew what was coming, the entire destruction of the world, and it was only three months away. He would do everything in his power to make sure that this would never come to pass. In reality, the capital was just what he needed.


	2. The Mountains

Chapter 2: The Mountains

"This route won't do...Appa'll get tired before we make a marathon's length..." Sokka stated.

"Sokka, we can't land. The entirety of the mountain range is probably crawling with Fire Nation troops. We'll be lucky to survive with half the group still intact," Zuko said.

"Well...we have to don disguises somehow. We're running low on food, too."

"Zuko...he's right. Besides, we can just hijack a ship, can't we?" Katara asked.

"A Fire Nation ship? Are you insane? Who on Earth _wouldn't_ notice? We're some of the most notorious 'criminals' on this planet right now! It'd have to be quiet-"

"-I can be quiet. What do boats sail in? Water. What am I a bender of? We'll be fine."

"Well, you did hold off those Dai Li agents pretty well-"

"-I know. Now, get us a little lower, Sokka. Once I'm in view, I can cast a fog over a ship, and we can take it."

"On it, captain! My sister's really taking charge back..."

"Shut up a minute. Toph, we'll guide you through."

"What about Momo? And the Earth King?"

"Yes, _what about me?_ I'm assuming I'll be dropped off at the nearest way-point?" the Earth King queried.

Katara ignored everyone once she started doing what she did best. With the fog cast, Appa slowly descended upon the unsuspecting ship. Once the waterbender could see through the fog, she immediately pushed water aboard the iron vessel, swamping any and all passengers on the ship. She made certain that all of the members of the boat were cast overboard, pushed towards the coastline in a convenient tidal wave, delivered to safety.

Once this was all complete, Appa completed his descending. Once on board, all the members of the team began getting themselves situated, Katara making sure that Aang's body was kept safe and out of sight. All of them were lucky enough to find spare uniforms to wear should any other Fire Nation ship notice their deviant path towards what looked to be the North Pole.

"All of you _do_ realize that ships will notice that we're heading in the wrong direction, right?" Zuko asked.

"Don't worry...Toph can sense when people know or don't know something. You _obviously_ won't be showing up at the entrance of the ship to greet these guys; they can spot a Fire Nation prince from a mile away, even without his scar..." Katara calmly stated.

"Okay, then who _will_ greet the unsuspecting, unwelcomed visitors to the ship?"

"Sokka. He's great at fooling people, good comedian too, when he _doesn't_ want to be..."

"Hey, I do good satires! You try coming up with hilarity on a daily basis whilst saving the world!"

"Duly noted. Oh yeah, you're steering. Zuko's going to help you since he probably knows how to command one of these things."

"You know, little sister, I'm proud of you! You've really taken charge back after our friend's, uh-"

"Not another word, Sokka. ...not another word!"

Katara stormed off. Sokka had known from the beginning of that sentence that he was going to strike a nerve; he persistently questioned himself as to why he continued... Zuko was a bit grief-stricken as well: through all of this, Aang had maintained his title as a sense of vitality for Zuko, even during his tenure of hunting the 112-year-old boy. Aang had been sweet, and Zuko had been hateful. This was his way of remedying, redeeming all the sin he had committed whilst being part of the Fire Nation.

This led him to an even more lugubrious topic...the subject of his beloved uncle, the only person who had ever truly cared for him up to this moment. Sure, his mother was always there when she could be, and Aang was a good friend while Zuko was not mindlessly trying to capture or kill him, but he knew that he was honoring his uncle's memory by helping the avatar. It still hurt him deeply to know that he couldn't save the one person he would and did trust with his life. Apparently, he could not reciprocate that promise like his father-figured uncle could.

"Sokka...I need to tell you something."

"...what is it, Z?"

"Don't call me that."

"Come on, Zuko, you're a team member. You deserve a nickname! You could use one too, especially seeing as how you're so gloomy all the time...brings down the mood."

"...fine! Fine. But that's beside the point. I wanted to tell you that they have my uncle."

"Zuko...if they do happen to have him, why are you telling me this? ...I'm so sorry to say...but your uncle may very well be dead."

"No! Shut up! That isn't possible! I won't let it be possible!"

Out of anger, Zuko started to shoot fire at Sokka, angering the veteran crew member. Sokka selected his boomerang, and began attempting to whack Zuko as best he could. After the minor scuffle, which luckily did not attract any passersby, Zuko vehemently apologized and stated that he had to learn how to control his anger.

"_This_ is what our new firebending instructor is going to teach a now deceased Aang? You can't do that, Zuko! You could've severely damaged the ship! You _need_ to get your anger under control!"

"I...I know! I'm just...firebending has always come from my inner anger...Uncle's always told me that it needs to come from serenity or something like that."

"Then how do we get it?"

"Well...there's this temple...but it's hundreds of miles away from here. And we need Aang."

"Fine, but first thing we do after we get Aang is head to this place. We don't have much time-"

"-I know. But something tells me that my Uncle isn't dead. Even though my father was...an asshole, he was a prideful asshole. He wouldn't want Uncle killed. He'd probably stick him in a prison somewhere near him so that he could keep watch over him, and so that he could make an example out of his brother."

"Zuko...we can't go searching for this guy off of a hunch. And besides, even if we were to get him back, it'd have to be after the end of summer; after the autumn solstice. It's going to get a lot harder and hotter to get that close to the Fire Nation, let alone inside it. I'm afraid we're going to have to curtail 'Operation: Bust Uncle Out of Prison.'"

"...fine. But we'll need him someday! If anyone can defeat my father...it's him. He's the only other person on this planet willing to fight my father to his or her own last breath."

"I wouldn't say that...we have a few options, but if we were to lose those, you'd be right, he's probably the only guy left..."

"Thanks for that, Sokka. By the way, we're about to hit land. We should sound an alarm."

"You get the other members...and control your anger! I can tolerate lash-outs like that, but if you do that to them, they'll throw you off the ship."

"Got it, _chief_."

"All of you, don your uniforms! We're probably going to run into a soldier or two, and we have to make our way to the nearest town; the further away from Ba Sing Se, the better!" Sokka exclaimed.

"Please don't yell...and don't say the name of that damn city...the one I used to rule..."

"Stop being so prideful. You're lucky you escaped alive," Zuko tragically informed.

"Someone teach this kid a little respect...you're talking to majesty, dirt!"

"OH, that's it-"

Katara was quick to restrain Zuko, but she did so in a strange way.

"You're...you don't have any water! How are you keeping me at bay?!"

"I...I don't know! It was a reflex!"

"The full moon isn't even out yet...how are you doing this?!"

"I told you, I don't know!"

Katara quickly let go of Zuko, having learned his lesson and kept his anger under control.

"Let me tell you something-"

Zuko is punched in the face before he can inform the king of what he is...or was.

"...I guess I deserved that..."

"Stop making so much noise! Soldiers are nearby..." Toph states.

"Everyone, act natural...well, act like a Fire Nation subordinate. Your highness, you have to make sure no one sees your face...highness without a scar, that goes for you too. They probably won't know us since we're not royalty or spiritually famous."

"All of you, follow me, I'll be able to tell when we should stop," Toph informed.

The group slowly started to move down the passageway, finding alternate routes with picket signs that would most likely direct them to one of the nearest cities. Along the way, they spotted troops upon troops, companies upon companies of soldiers. The only way they avoided being spotted was because of Katara's ability to create fog over their heads. They slowly made their way up the trail, being careful to make as little sound as possible. This went well until they met the first shipment of soldiers striding by on the very same walkway.

"Halt! The Fire Nation is sending troops to the province of Ba Sing Se! All personnel and citizens of any nation are to send themselves to the city to await evaluation by Fire Nation soldiers to remove any undesirables!"

"Well, well, well...if it isn't my favorite private! Liu, how have you been?!" Sokka asks.

"General Feng Shui...is that you? So nice to see you! Just leading this posse of soldiers over to the most protected city on Earth...say, aren't you supposed to be heading in the same direction?"

"Well, I'm just sending these soldiers back to the training camp! I think you should add these guys to the list of undesirables if you ask me..."

"Understood! Anyway, what's with the bodybag?"

"Uh, uh, we lost one on the way here! Guerrilla tactics...but we managed to get most of them!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry...well, you seem very upbeat about it! Always positive, General Feng Shui always was, boys...well, I'll be seeing you! I hope your other soldiers are doing okay over the loss! Nice pet!"

"You got _lucky_ with that name, brother!" Katara yelled.

"Don't scream so loud, Katara...you want the entire Earth Kingdom campaign to hear you? Anyway, we can only be so long; Appa's still at the ship, and if it gets searched, we'll lose our bison again, _and _our main mode of transportation."

"It's been half a year, and you still don't think of Appa, one of our best friends, as nothing more than a flying bison?"

"It's not like that...look, I'm just looking at it from an analytical point of view. Besides, who knows how long it could take before we reach the nearest port city? These disguises won't do well forever...we need food, fuel, who knows what else?"

"Ugh, fine...Toph, continue to lead the way."

"On it, _Boss_..."

"What did you call me?"

"Oh, you heard..."

Team Avatar continued their journey, being bothered numerous times along the way. All they could hope for at certain instances was whether or not there was a ditch where they could hide the unlucky individuals that suspected them. They had not killed yet, and were not going to start now. Gradually, they made their way through an increment of the mountains, coming across just what they needed: a depot for fuel and food.

"Zuko, you got any money?"

"A little...hold on..." as Zuko fished through his pockets for some "loose change."

"You said a little. This is a fortune's worth!"

"Good, now pay for what we need and let's get out before we draw any undue attention."

"Calm down, no one's made us yet. I don't sense anyone coming our way."

"People don't need to come our way...all they need to do is fire at us! Did you see how far away Azula shot Aang from?"

"Don't bring that up, you'll make everyone in the group giddy. Besides, I can't see; way to make the 'cripple' feel bad."

"Sorry, sorry...anyway, get in, get out, that's the plan."

The team bought what they came for and headed back to the ship. The vessel remained untouched, and the group bought what they needed to traverse the ocean leading to the North Pole. They would be there soon; that was the easy part. The difficult section of that would be waiting for Aang to awaken.

"Alright, everyone. Load up, go to sleep. Zuko and I will take shifts on our way to the destination.

"Sokka...what'll the citizens of the place do when they see the same person that tried to capture _the avatar_?" Zuko asked.

"We'll explain everything! They're bound to accept anything at this point...Fire Nation troops are practically at their doorstep."

"Okay, maybe I should ask a more pertinent question..._what are we going to do when they see a Fire Nation ship approaching their base_?"

"Use your brain. We're going to abandon this ship once we're one mile out from our landing place. It'll be like one of _their_ ships hadn't come anywhere near."

"Right, right...I certainly hope we don't run into any homogeneous vessels, then."

"Of course we will, Sokka...we're Team Avatar! We run on bad luck! It's surprising that we've made it this far...no, actually, it isn't. The quintessential reason we've circumvented the Fire Nation in the ways we have is because of Aang-"

"-who is now dead."

"Not permanently dead. Wow, I never thought I'd say something like _that_."

"It tends to happen when referring to the _avatar_..."

"I suppose so. Look, when it happens, we'll have our costumes on, we'll go through the pleasantries, and we'll be on our way. Nothing of much merit will happen. All that we care about now is the North Pole. If we want it enough, we'll get there."

The night passed by swiftly. When the next day came, Sokka was the first to address the king, stating that they would land at the edge of Earth Kingdom territory, drop him off, and be on their way. The king was fine with this, as he had his bear friend Basco to accompany him.

"I'll be a migrant! Always wanted to be one of those. I'm not really for the high life...but, then again, that's all I know. Thanks for the opportunity...and good luck. I...I believe in you guys."

"Do you have a choice?"

"There's always a choice, even if it's a harrowingly painful and cowardly decision at that."

"I'll make sure to take note, _philosopher_. I hope you have a good time traveling!"

"I'll have to, especially with the land infested with the Fire Nation..."

"Looks like that'll have to be put on hold."

"Why?"

"Look."

Fire Nation ships. Five of them, enough to compose a small fleet.

"Katara, we have a problem."

"What is it, Sokka?"

"Just look."

"Oh no...this could get bloody."

"I'm not a murderer. Anyway, how are we going to deal with this? Even if we end up cracking some skulls, we can't handle five ships on our own, not without-"

"Don't say his name. Anyway, I'm sure there's a way we can handle this...think! You're the thinker of the group."

"Fine, fine...we act! That's it. We just go in, act like we're entitled, and walk out. We'll just try not to take off our helmets. You and I can do all the funny stuff, the others will have to hang back so that they don't get spotted."

"And if things don't go our way?"

"...we go ship jumping! You'll take the entire group in water while toppling other ships with your water! Appa can help too!"

"If that's going to be the case, we'll need to be quiet about this. If we attract other soldiers, Azula will know what's up."

"Right, right, quiet!"

The ship quickly stopped and awaited being boarded. All five quickly stationed themselves around the seemingly innocuous vessel, awaiting orders as to what to do next. A commander followed by two footmen placed themselves on the team's boat, and immediately informed them of their deviation from orders sent directly from the capital.

"Ships are to station themselves in Ba Sing Se to send troops and aid or to load goods or services. What are you doing going in the exact opposite direction? Are you all there is on the ship?"

"Sir, we're heading back to the Fire Nation capital. My wife and I are simple vacationers. This ship is a leisurely vessel, commanded by General Feng Shui, who is not currently aboard the vessel. He's relaxing in Ba Sing Se, and gave us the keys to the ship. He said it was alright to do so."

"Feng Shui again...why was he promoted to general?! So irresponsible...alright, carry on. He's lucky I'm a few ranks below him...he could single-handedly cost us the war if he keeps thinking that we're just going to automatically win. Are you friends of his?"

"Indeed, we are! We were once soldiers. We retired at a very young age, served our time...good luck out there! And did you hear? The avatar's-"

"I think that's enough, _honey_. We'll be on our way, now. Good luck in Ba Sing Se! Show those earthbenders who's boss!"

"Indeed, we will ma'am! Have a safe trip!"

"I told you not to mention his existence."

"It was for credibility!"

"We seemed to get along just fine. Are you _trying_ to get under my skin?"

"I'm trying not to get us killed!"

"Next time you even _allude_ to his name, I'm going to do whatever I did to Zuko."

"That reminds me, did you figure that out?" Zuko unexpectedly asked.

"I'm not sure what it was-"

"-I am. When you did whatever you did to me, I could feel something in me. Some sort of liquid lurch...I think you controlled my blood."

"No...I can't've...that sounds so...terrible."

"You're a bloodbender."

"No...that isn't possible! Even if I could do something like that, a full moon would be obligatory...I can't've done that..."

"Katara, it's nothing to be ashamed of. You don't see me beating myself up over being able to manipulate metal."

"You're right. You know why? Because metal isn't the same thing as a human being. And just imagine, if I've figured out I can do this, just think of who else has...this is an evil art. Something that should never be practiced."

"In war time, all is fair, Katara. I'm glad you used it on me; we can utilize this against others. He would've wanted it."

"Don't tell me what the _avatar_ would've wanted! You didn't know him! You spent a good portion of your life hunting him, probably preparing to kill him!"

"And now look at where we are! Progress has been made! People...people change!"

"Sokka told me about how you lashed out; you do that again, I'll _break your neck with my new technique_."

"I think we all need to calm down! We won't get anything done by biting each other's heads off. Stay cool."

"Enough with the fire puns, Sokka. You may be the funny one in the group, but even jokes can get tiresome sometimes," Toph chimed in.

The ship continued on its seldom merry way. A few days passed by, and they finally reached their destination, which seemed to be a zenith of happiness for them. They knew what was still to come, though-the lengthy process that followed Aang's revival. It would take weeks for him to wake up, possibly months; they didn't have this type of time.

"Well, Earth King, it was nice knowin' ya! Have fun doing...whatever!" Sokka yelled.

"I will! Thanks for the food! Bye!"

"Okay, he's gone. How long will it take to reach the North Pole?" Zuko asked.

"Looks like a week, these ships are so slow...but I don't want to strain Appa."

"Fair enough. Do we have the supplies?"

"Sure thing. You had a lot of money in your sack...got us a lot of good stuff, especially _meat_."

"How long will it take to get Aang up and walking?"

"From what Katara's said about this spirit water stuff...he should be out and about the moment he touches it.

"Remember when you said 'It's never that easy?'"

"...yeah..."

"Well...that. Your team's...our team's luck has never been all that great. If it were, well, we'd be talking to Aang right now."

"I know...but I think things tend to work out, you know? Well, we'll all find out once we reach the Northern Water Tribe. Prepare to do _a lot_ of explaining, Zuko! I'm sure everyone will be interested in the tale you have to tell..."


	3. Plans

Chapter 3: Plans

The trip back to the Fire Nation was swift, and it wasn't long before both Azula and her infamous prisoner were in the capital of her beloved country. She had a few plans for what do upon entering the land: the first item on the itinerary was to inform her father of the impending invasion, one that was now been weakened due to the recent acquisition of the Earth Kingdom itself. The second step was to inform her father of the capture of former general Iroh, and await the information on his punishment. Finally, she was to stand by for orders as to what to do with herself thereafter.

"Father, I have great news..."

"You've brought your brother to me?"

"Even better...the avatar..._is dead_."

"Azula, you do in fact realize that he or she will just be reincarnated now, correct?"

"Ah, but this time, the avatar won't be coming back."

"You didn't."

"Oh, I'm afraid I have..."

"Produce evidence."

"I'm awfully sorry to say that I can't do that, father. But I can do something better for you. I have captured Uncle Iroh."

"I do not consider him my brother. You are not to consider him your uncle."

"Very well, anyway, I was wondering what you were going to do with your newly captured prisoner..."

"That is hardly my concern. Because I trust you, I will take your word for it that he is dead. But, before I fully accept that hardly believable notion, please tell me how you were able to kill an avatar, specifically one that was in the _avatar state_."

"Oh, it's was if it was out of a play...the avatar encased himself in a crystal shield, ensuring that no one would breach his security. Upon entering the famed avatar state, I shot his back with the lightning I've come to harness. Subsequently, he fell to the ground, only being caught by his friend of seemingly Inuit ancestry. Upon looking at the deceased carcass, she began to cry, and Iroh came out of nowhere and began firing at the newly converted Dai Li agents. Through all of this, I could tell, the avatar was dead, and he wouldn't be coming back."

"Such a vivid account...I suppose I will trust your judgment, then. However, if you are unsure about the status of the avatar, I trust that you will do whatever is within your power to eliminate him by any means necessary."

"Of course, Father. In light of this, I've decided to hire someone who is adept at making people...disappear. His name is Sai."

"Him again, I see! A rare bird to say the least...firebending...with his mind."

"I couldn't have asked for a better assassin myself, besides me, of course...he has already started searching for any traces of the avatar. And if he indeed is searching for someone akin to his description, Sai will most likely find the group that has been following the avatar for more than half a year now. If anything is almost, if not equally as dangerous as the avatar, it is the team that has aided him in flouting almost every military gesture that the Fire Nation has attempted in these past few months."

"You have been thorough, Azula...I am seriously considering you for the position of Fire Lord once the war is finished. Continue with what you are doing."

"Father...you've not answered one of my questions."

"What else have I missed?"

"...what are you going to do with Iroh? I realize you'd like to make an example of him, but what if he escapes?"

"He won't. He'll be put in a maximum security cell right near the palace so that if he indeed _does_ make any moves, I'll be on it. He will be made an example of, and if anyone dares to betray the Fire Nation again, they will suffer a fate much more severe than banishment or prison time..."

"This reminds me...Father, an invasion must be brought to your attention."

"This is the first I'm hearing of this. What do you mean?"

"Before the the coup of Ba Sing Se was complete, the Earth King told me of an impending invasion on Fire Nation soil on what is said to be the Day of Black Sun..."

"Now that the avatar is dead and the Earth Kingdom defeated, will this invasion still take place?"

"It's difficult to say...which is why I'd suggested putting up lackluster defenses that day. If anyone _does_ come, they'll think that they can just take the capital and win the war. We can swoop in with additional forces once the eclipse is finished and take them prisoner, siphoning any information we can from them."

"Very good thinking, Azula! You are an asset to the Fire Nation, as always..."

"Thank you, Father. Now, I must be on my way; I will station myself in Ba Sing Se and have multiple spies placed throughout the world; if I hear anything about any sort of _Team Avatar, _I will head directly for the disturbance. Have a good day, Father, and may the Fire Nation become even greater than it is."

"Goodbye, Azula, _my only child_."

After the meeting, Azula immediately set out for Ba Sing Se, using one of the fastest ships she could. The vehicle she would be using would taxi her over to the Earth Kingdom's capital in just one week, ample time to hear any news of the movements of her enemies. The war was being won, and Aang was hastily running out of time...

"Mai, Ty Lee, before we go searching for the avatar's friends again, we're going to...take a couple of weeks off."

"A vacation! Are we going to see the cute one from the avatar's group again?"

"If we do, he won't be cute when you're done with him."

"Oh, he'll be more than that when-"

"On sight, you engage. Understand?"

"Ye-yes, Azula..."

"About time we get some R&amp;R. I thought all we had to do was get the little monk, not overthrow a city..."

"Well, thanks to your combined efforts, we've all done just that, myself taking most of the glory for it, though. It's probable that both of you will be honored as heroes once the war is over."

"And you'll be the Fire Lord! Can we order your servants around once you let us live in the palace? Oh, and we're going to travel the world once you come to power, right?! That'd be awesome!"

"Calm down, Ty Lee...honestly, I'll never understand how the both of you always seem to have energy to kill or capture things. I feel like dead weight sometimes, well, no, weight that actually has a metabolism."

"We'll see. The first thing on the itinerary is to capture the avatar's former group of cronies. Once they're safely under lock and key, or dead, the Fire Nation can rest easy. I have a knack for telling when people are going to get in the way of things, and these will not only obstruct our path to victory, they'll probably destroy a little of our caravan on the way."

"That's nice. Where are we going?"

"Ember Island, my father's retreat."

"I remember that place! We'd always play volleyball at the beach, crushing anyone who came our way! Brings back harsh memories of having to chi-block some of the people, though..."

"Yes, a lot of them were sore losers. But, then again, you have to be a player to lose."

Upon Azula's exit, Ozai immediately called a meeting of all his top generals. The information he'd just garnered from a smug Azula was crucial to winning the war, as well as eradicating any rebellious belligerents.

"An invasion?" General Li asks.

"Yes, on what is called 'The Day of Black Sun.' They're planning to use it to overthrow the capital, thus weakening, but not destroying the Fire Nation. I never understood why they thought taking the city would automatically throw the country into disarray, when over half the planet's land is now under our control."

"With all due respect, Fire Lord Ozai, who is 'they?' The Earth Kingdom is all but completely annihilated. For them to launch a surprise attack against us, they'd have to evade quite a lot of land and an even greater amount of sea for our soldiers not to notice what's afoot."

"An excellent question, general...because of the fall of the Earth Kingdom, I believe that a small guerrilla force is going to be gathered for this day, if they choose to attack at all."

"I believe it is safe to guess that they won't. At this point, Fire Nation defenses have transcended bending boundaries, meaning that even without those capabilities, we'd still be able to dispatch any attack that comes our way, especially a ragtag team of misfits thinking that they can go overthrow an entire country in just one attack."

"I admire your hubris, general, but on this day, I'd like defenses to be lowered. I say this because I want the day to act as a mousetrap. Even if we get _one_ member of the avatar's group, it won't be long until we can glean enough information to decipher exactly where the rest are heading. We'll act ignorant of the entire surprise, and once they're far enough into the mainland, we close in with a new weapon."

"Our airships are fully operational."

"That's a good thing...they will be used well on the day of Sozin's Comet."

"What do you mean, sir?"

"If you haven't already guessed, each airship has a pedestal upon which an ample firebender can stand. On the day the joyous cache of stardust and hellfire graces the atmosphere of our planet, the basic attack of one of our soldiers will be multiplied a thousand- fold. We can use this to destroy both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, due to the fact that they are not nearly as controlled as the earthbenders now are. With the counter to fire gone, the rebelling earthbenders will have nowhere left to hide, nowhere left to run. We close in and crush them, not even a year after the comet has come and gone. Gentlemen, by this time next year, I will have a new title that rings true throughout all of the land."

"And what appellation might that be, your highness?"

"_The Phoenix King! _General Li, I grant you the rank of 'Commander' for the southern invasion. General Azulon, I do the same to you for the Northern Tribe. If either of you complete your objective before the day is finished, I order you to fly to the Earth Kingdom as quickly as possible and decimate as much as you can. It is likely that you, Azulon, will be the one to completely burn Ba Sing Se to the ground. The rest of you will be subordinates of the two generals; men on the right will serve Azulon, men on the left will serve Li."

"Thank you for the honor, sir!" all generals say.


	4. The Northern Water Tribe

Chapter 4: The Northern Water Tribe

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, if Katara bloodbended me, that means that a few of these tribal men are going to do the same, women even."

"Why are you always so giddy? We'll get there, we'll explain what happened. Hell, they probably won't recognize you anyway. Your scar's gone."

"...I keep forgetting about that. The skin isn't tender anymore. ...your sister healed me in ways I'd not thought possible, and the Fire Nation is the most industrialized-"

"-I know what the Fire Nation is. And just like Katara, I'd like not to be reminded about Aang, especially knowing that he could've been saved if you hadn't started complaining about that piece of dark skin."

"You too?! ...I need to get a grip on my anger. Anyway, for your information, it was more than a scar. It was a symbol, an icon of what parental abuse can do to you, both physically _and_ psychologically."

"At least your dad was around for the better part of your life. Mine's been away at war, fighting the soldiers _you've_ sent."

"Okay, just because I'm a citizen...a prince of the Fire Nation, it doesn't mean that I agree with all of the policies my father's sanctioned."

"You mean the 'policies' that your father has probably drafted himself? And his father's father? And _his_ father's father?"

"Okay, okay, I'll lay off. But I want you to understand that-"

"There _is_ nothing to understand, Zuko. If that water hadn't been used on you, Aang might not be conscious, but he'd be alive."

"AND IF IT HADN'T BEEN USED ON ME, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T BE HERE RIGHT NOW!"

Sokka quickly drew his boomerang, but it wasn't needed. Zuko instantly knew that he needed to restrain himself.

"...do you really mean that?"

"I...I don't know...look, Sokka, when I get mad...my brain doesn't think straight, and I say things..."

"Maybe what you're expressing was latent. Because you're part of our family now, that means no secrets. Tell me what's going on."

"I...sigh, let me tell you a story. Before I found the bison in Laogai, before I stumbled upon the av—Aang, in that crystal prison, I was cautiously and casually living in Ba Sing Se, possibly before you even arrived. I'd seen Aang a few times, and veraciously resisted the urge to revert back to my old ways."

"...I see."

"Because of that, I started having nightmares. Vivid and sordid nightmares. Dreams that would make you scared to go to sleep. In effect, it gave me a fever, ferocious one too. My uncle said I was going through a...a transformation. A metamorphosis, he called it, specifically. This was a long and arduous process, one that could be stymied and immediately terminated if I'd just go find Azula and tell her who I found, and how he could be done in."

"...so you were tempted."

"Exactly. The reason I say that that spirit water saved me is because...in that moment, when your sister healed me, I realized something: all that I'd come to believe, all that I'd come to know about the other three...well, two nations, and the avatar himself, was just an evident and dogmatic lie. Imagine...imagine always being taught that the Fire Lord was descended from Heaven, and that his generals were an array of angels, and then, one day, having something question their morality, and their lack of mortality."

"That sounds...impossible, Zuko. I mean, how can anyone believe that simple human beings are demigods of some sort? There has to be _some_ sort of questioning involved."

"Think...think back to Ba Sing Se, the rows upon rows of Joo Dees you saw. Now think of that demonstrated on an even grander scale, one that spans half the globe, what the Fire Nation is currently in control of. Only, it's not conventional hypnosis: it's someone casually telling you over and over that this is the way that things are, and that it's always been like this. Imagine having nowhere to turn to for outside, or in the Fire Nation's case, 'deviant' information, and never being given impetus to pursue any of that actual raw fact? It's re- education, only, the Fire Nation gets you at birth, so that they can put whatever they want on your 'blank slate' and state it as fact. It's a totalitarian state, Sokka."

"That...really just opened my eyes. Thank you for that, Zuko. So...is any of that temptation still extant?"  
"...in primitive forms, yes. I realize that what I'm currently doing is the right thing, but that life of luxury, the seemingly carefree moments I used to share with my family...I have a yearning to return to that, and I feel that if I do so now, I will be welcomed back as-"

"-as a criminal. Think about it, you sided with us, the right choice. Because of that, the Fire Nation is going to emphatically hunt you, knowing that you are now working to turn the tide of the war, one of the most important conflicts in human history. Zuko, I'm not trying to convince you how to live your life, but if you go back now, you'll be lucky if you aren't killed the second you're spotted."

"I...I suppose you're right."

"'Course I am, bud! Anyway, we're going to have to get ready to ditch the ship. I'm looking through the telescope, and it seems to me that we're in flying distance of our Northern sister..."

"Everyone, get up! We're a little ways out from the Northern Water Tribe! Gather all of your belongings and stow them on Appa! Wake up, big guy!"

"RAHHHHH!"

"Momo, you too."

The colleagues quickly hoisted their items onto the back of the great sky bison, some anxious to see their relatives whom had only viewed them just three months prior.

"I'm feeling a little...ambivalent about seeing Master Pakku again."

"I don't blame you, the old sexist bastard..."

"It's not like you couldn't use a little work yourself, _tough guy_..."

"Hey! I've made improvements in the past couple months! You can't fault me for that..."

"I suppose not. Toph, here, let me help you."

"I can help myself, Bloody Hands. I _can_ metalbend, you know."

"You're just...ugh! Never call me that again!"

"Whatever you say, Inuwit."

"Alright, guys, get ready to explain Zuko to the locals. Katara, if you'd be so kind as to bodyguard our firebending friend for the time being, that'd be _splendid_."

"Hey! I don't need to be protected! I can defend myself..."

"The last thing we need is an icy temple in flames, melting at the seams, Zuko. Just let her do her job."

"_Just let her do her job_...why does that sound sexist, Sokka, especially when it comes from you?"

"Because you expect it from me, sis. Anyway, load up and get comfortable. Yip yip!"

Appa immediately rose from the metal carrier, flying in the direction of the bustling town occupied by tribal individuals. In just a few minutes, the group was told where to land, and they obliged.

"Master Pakku! It's...good to see you again!"

"As I'd expect...I recognize this man. It's...why do you have a firebender with you?"

"Long story, too tired to explain. Anyway, he's a friend, but we've got some bad news."

"What is it?"

Almost as if on cue, Toph opens the body bag to reveal a deceased and stinking Aang.

"...why have you come here? The avatar is dead! We can do nothing for you-"

"Would ya keep it down, Gramps? You want the entire tribe to hear you?"

"..fine. Fine...but why did you come here? Did you expect us to be able to do something for the boy?"

"Anything akin to that. We not only need you to revive him, we need you to save all past avatars, and all that are to come."

"I thought it wasn't possible...how can the avatar be killed in their most powerful form?"

"By getting shot in the back with lightning, long story."

"You sound so upbeat about it...did _he_ do it?" Pakku accused as he gestured at Zuko.  
"_No_, I didn't do it...what kind of a question is that, anyway? If I _did_ do it, I'd be in the Fire Nation, not in some primitive tribal town."

"Sokka, you trying to get us killed?"

"Sorry, sorry, slipped."

"I believe our medical unit can oblige Aang...please, though, don't let this happen again...there's no telling what could happen if an avatar is killed in this form a _second_ time. It might be enough to kill Raava herself..."

"Raava?" Sokka asked in with a quizzical face.

"Another story for another time. Give me the body, we'll go to the Spirit Oasis."

"I'm going too," Katara said furtively.

"Fair enough, come along, _little fledgling_."

Katara began to make obscene gestures behind the back of the renowned master, following suit as they traveled to the pond they wished to revive Aang in. Soon, they arrived at their destination.

"Because of your young hands, I'm going to use someone with a little more experience. One of the medics has been ordered to show herself in this very sacred area, something not many people, especially women, get the privilege to do in all of their lifetimes."

"Spare me the sexist splurge. Just revive my friend."

"Very well, child, give me his body," the medic stated.

"The scar is on the back."

"Thank you."

"Never in my life did I think that I'd get to operate on _the avatar_...it truly is an honor."

It was a short, nominal, but emotionally poignant process for the medic and Katara. Slowly but surely, Aang stirred just slightly, looking at the three people that surrounded him, and then fell casually back asleep.

"It is done. Thank you for bringing him to me...?"

"It's Katara, from the Southern Water Tribe. You've no idea the magnitude of the act you've just committed, thank you for what you've done."

"I think I can guess..."

"If that's it, I'll be on my way."

"Katara, be careful. Especially with that firebender..."

"Don't worry, I will."

As if it were a reflex, Katara slightly moved Aang's body with her bloodbending. With that, she was on her way, delivering her body back onto the back of Appa, along with the rest of the group.

"...is he alive?" the entire group asked in unison.

"Only just," Katara replied.

The congregation sighed in thankful relief, knowing that the world indeed had _not_ come to an end, at least, not yet. As they began to fly back to the iron ship they'd just ascended from, they began to reflect on their entire journey thus far. Then, they realized: they have a man that was just brought back from the dead. An amazing feeling was garnered from that, one akin to hope.

"...what do we do now?" Zuko asked.

"We wait for him to wake up. There isn't going to be an invasion, and we need Aang to learn how to firebend. That's where you come in. That reminds me, your source of fire. It's been waning, and you told me why. That's the first thing we need to do; can't have a firebending avatar without a competent firebending teacher," Sokka replied.

"Is there anything we can do for the Earth Kingdom?" Toph queried.

"Not at the moment, no. I mean, we _could_ try to contact Bumi, but I don't know what good that'd do us. All we can tell him at this point is that there's going to be an eclipse in about a month or so. Other than that, we might as well get all our personal licks in before Aang wakes up, while also avoiding anyone who might want our heads on a silver platter."

"Which is half the planet."

"Correct. Always the sunshine in our storm, aren't you, Zuko?"

"I try, I try."

The night arrived quickly, and all descended to their bedrooms for the night; the ship was dormant, unmoving, completely secure, for the time being. As Zuko nodded off, he began to think about all the choices he'd made in the past few weeks, how they'd all been indirectly controlled by the eradication of his scar, the one icon that seemed to make him an interesting person. While thinking through this, he decided to pay Aang's room a visit; the atmosphere was cold and damp. The avatar wouldn't be waking from his posthumous slumber for a few weeks; the entire group would be lucky if he were in fighting shape by the time the comet came around.

Upon sitting next to Aang's near-lifeless body, Zuko began to reminisce, to console in Aang some of his fears, aspirations, and more.

"Your weakest possible form, and I'm not here to capture you. Would've been nice if you'd been like this when I was."

Zuko quickly thought about what he'd just said, and how treacherous that sounded to him.

"I—I mean, not that I'm trying to do that right now...it's just, wow, I've never seen you this weak."

In the back of his head, Zuko was yearning for, expecting a response out of Aang, one of which would be derived from mutual happiness and unstoppable energy. But no such reply followed. His body just laid there, almost untouched, without any extraneous bother.

"What am I doing...I'm talking to a would-be dead man, and yet I haven't felt this safe talking to anyone since the days before I was banished. It's just so...tempting. You know, because of you, I've been traveling this world for three years. You know what I've enjoyed? An entire transformation. Well...'enjoyed,' more like 'endured.' I've gone through hell for you, both on and off your side, and you won't even be able to defeat my father come the day you must. This has just been a sad display..."

Constantly, Zuko had to remind himself that he was talking to a vegetable, a human being currently incapable of offering any sentient or cohesive response to his broaching, questioning, and overall conversation.

"Well...it isn't your fault. It's my sister's, and she's bound to be coming here at this very moment, not for your body, but for me. I guess I truly know what it feels like to be you now: hunted, sought after, worthy and capable of being captured. And I'm here...because of my scar, or the lack of one, per se. But, I suppose all I can say is that...you need to wake up soon. You _need_ to. This world needs you, now more than ever. You _have_ to wake up, Aang. Please. Otherwise, my healing will have been for nothing... Wow, I feel like my entire life has been based on nothing..."


	5. The Mute

Chapter 5: The Mute

"My father and I have given you a task, one which I was and still am trusted with. You will aid me, but not in tandem. You will find the avatar's friends, as well as my brother, and end them. Word about their existence has already gotten out, so you have competition. Above all else, do not disappoint me. Understand?" Azula commands.

Sai nodded in agreement. Before he could speak, Azula informed him of their last known whereabouts, stating that they were cited leaving Ba Sing Se in the northwestern direction. This is all the intelligence he would require; he set out for his prey.

He boarded a military ship heading for the mountains just above Ba Sing Se, knowing that if the avatar wished to stay healthy, he would surely have visited an extremely spiritual venue, one _coincidentally_ akin to that of the Northern Water Tribe. The search began.

On board, soldiers attempted to query him about what he is doing; he said nothing, only offering his third eye to show proof of just how dangerous and lethal he could be when provoked, or when he attempted to ascertain whether people think he is a firebender or not. Indeed, he was; he was one of the best alive, and would probably be the greatest for some time to come. Even without his firebending knowledge and skill, his body was built to withstand even the toughest of enemy combatants; he was a walking Fire Nation tank.

He would stop at nothing to acquire his target, especially knowing that if he indeed did kill those who he had his sights on, he would be heralded as a hero by all who hailed to the Fire Nation, the greatest country on Earth, made greater by this one act.

Eventually, however, the constant stream of questions began to annoy him.

"What's with the eye on your forehead? Never seen that on a firebender. The shaved head isn't very 'Fire Nation' either..._you're not the avatar, by any chance, are you?_" The soldier asked sarcastically, laughing at his own joke, chortling at a seemingly dead man's expense. Sai shook his own head in the negative, informing his "companion" that he indeed was _not_ the avatar.

"Hell, wouldn't matter if you were. You'd still be able to kill everyone on this ship either way." Sai nodded in agreement; apparently this commoner knew who and who not to aggravate.

"You're a big tough guy; you looking for the avatar?" Sai strategically ignored the question.

"Don't worry, I get it. Whether you are or you aren't, you just want people out of your business; precisely why I'm going to stick my nose in it." Again, Sai ignored him; the mute had a knack for telling when someone's words were empty or not.

"Come on, you can tell me what you're up to! If not, have a cold one, at least. Everyone on the ship's getting some..." The conversation was over. Sai would entertain the soldier no longer, and ignored him further. Eventually, the soldier received the message, and found someone else to bother.

Days passed, then weeks, and finally, the ship reached its destination, the peak of the mainland of the Earth Kingdom. He could sense that his pray was near; he must keep looking. Then, he noticed something a little out of the ordinary, peculiar, perhaps: a Fire Nation vessel parked behind the mountain range, where _no one would be able to see it without knowing it was there..._ Unfortunate for those that hid it, they didn't count on this man snooping around inconspicuous increments of the range.

Without hesitation, he entered the vessel, finding something very interesting to him: a bison and a flying lemur. Upon his entrance into the large auditorium that housed Appa and Momo, the two immediately retaliated against him. As soon as the incursion began, Sai bade a hasty retreat of the complex, exiting the ship. This was his resolution: wait for the members of the group to return to the ship, then shoot the ship, killing everyone inside.

This plan would've worked if he hadn't caught the attention of both the animals on board; upon his exiting of the metal vehicle, the other two slipped out about an hour later, aware that this man would be very calamitous if left unchecked. Fortunately for Sai, he saw the two exit the vessel, and shot as fast as he could at what would be the ship's engine.

Right on time, Appa and Momo ascended, evading the blast radius and flying to safety, instantaneously heading for the location of the mute. Sai began to run, aware of the task he'd just completed: leveling the vessel of the avatar, probably along with their food and resting source. He hid quickly, under the rocks of the mountain, narrowly escaping the capture of the two now agonized animals.

His job was not yet finished, however; he still had to find the members, and put them down. After a few hours of hiding, he exited the rocks, looking again at the smoldering wreckage of the boat he destroyed, as well as the firebenders that were investigating the blast. Sai inferred that they'd attribute it to nothing more than a fuel leak, and leave promptly; after all, they'd thought that Team Avatar would be smart not to simply sit around waiting for Fire Nation soldiers to ascertain their location. Appa and Momo were intelligent enough to wait behind and gather patience for the company's eventual leave; however, they were still roughly aware of Sai's proximity with respect to their human companions. They would be ever vigilant, without looking for their friends; they knew that Sai would use that against them.

Sometime later, the members of the group did arrive, and Toph was the one who saved them.

"INCOMING! GET DOWN!"

The blast was poignant and loud, enough to attract more than enough attention for the posse. They ran for cover, Sai following their movement.

"Who shot that?! ….what was that?!"

"Everyone needs to calm down. I know who this man is," Zuko said.

"Of course _you_ do...I bet all you firebenders gather around in a circle on Saturdays and come up with ways to get us killed!" Katara exclaimed.

"You mean _Sundays_."

"Your humor isn't helping anyone, Zuko. That's my job!"

"Did all of you suddenly forget that someone's trying to kill us?! Brace for impact!" Toph yelled.

"Okay, okay! His name is Sai."

"I don't care about his name! I care about how we can tear him a new one! Sokka screamed.

"I can use my bloodbending in unison with Toph's earth!"  
"Won't that attract attention?" Zuko asked.

"Attention or detention. Your choice," Katara said stalwartly.

"Fair enough, do what you need to do."

As if they'd practiced beforehand, Katara and Toph quickly exited their earthen barricade and proceeded to use their bending skills on Sai, slightly disabling him. Sai had been trained for these types of situations, and knew when he was outmatched. He left as quickly as he had come, plotting for his next bout with the group.

"We need to be more careful about who's tailing us next time...but Katara, I'm proud of you for becoming so lenient with your bloodbending," Zuko "complimented."

"You need to learn how to talk to people," Katara says, Zuko latently realizing how that must've sounded.

"I'm sorry, did I fade from existence just then? I did work too!" Toph yelled.

"Right, right, sorry! Good work, everyone."

"_Ahhh_, little Zuzu is becoming part of the team!" Katara teased.

"Don't call me that! I don't even let my sister call me that."

"Hopefully, you won't be in hearing distance for your sister to call you anything ever again..." Sokka said.

"You and me both, Sokka..."

As the congregation self-aggrandized themselves for a job well done against the attacker, they resumed their trek back to the ship; what they found was less than spectacular.

"Oh my...oh no..." Katara said.

"Well, the war's over! Should we turn ourselves into the Fire Nation now or later?" Sokka said., now depressed out of his mind.

"Shut up, Sokka! Now's not the time for talk like that. Did Appa and Momo make it out okay?" Zuko asked. As if on cue, the two beasts came out of the mountain range, and the mood was instantly lightened.

"That's nice and all, but all our food was on that ship...we'll need to make another trip to the store. Oh yeah, a new vehicle is in order as well..." Sokka lamented.

"I'm not made of money, Sokka! We'll need to steal some or something..." Zuko said.

"This is quite the bind, is it not? I guess we'll have to resort to that, not like we haven't before."

"Sigh...if we must...but you know how I feel about this," Katara said, sadly.

"Do it for Twinkle Toes. We need to be alive to fight a war."

"Okay, just do me this. Before we go scavenging for food and money again, let me take another ship. We can ransack their goods so that way, we'll be harming foot soldiers, not innocent clerks just trying to feed their families," Katara commanded.

"Fair enough. Let's all load up on Appa. Yip yip!"

In a sort of Deja Vu, the group descended on yet another ship; if they did this again, it would be more difficult to commit acts such as these a third time. The Fire Nation would be _ready_.

"Okay, ship's clear. Let's descend."

"It's our lucky day...they've still got food aboard! Of course, we'll have to go into town in a few days, but they've left money all over the ship!" Sokka said joyfully.

"Just make sure this one doesn't get blown up..." Toph stated.

"Okay, here's my plan for that. We have a land group, and a sea group. Two people get to stay aboard the TAS Aang, and the rest keep a lookout for any hostiles!" Sokka suggested.

"How about we just keep a firm watch on board? That works just as well, as Toph is probably the best when it comes to sensing people on board, while we'll handle the ocular part. Sound good?" Katara asks.

"But, but mine's more convoluted..."

"Making it harder to execute. Let's just stick with my plan."

"...alright..."


	6. Preparation

Chapter 6: Preparation

Sai, or rather "Combustion Man's" attack, as coined by Sokka after meeting him, traumatized the entire congregation. They knew that they wouldn't be able to stay in their current location; thankfully, they'd made no such plans prior to the event. Their original plan was to wander the world aimlessly until Aang returned, almost as if the avatar was the only one who could give them direction. At many points throughout Sokka's revealing of this plan to the rest, the others criticized his lack of actual solid scheduling.

Strange enough as it was, the only reason they'd been able to evade the brunt of the attack in the first place was because of the fact that they needed new supplies; already stocked that day, they became greedy for Zuko's money, choosing to invest it into more food parcels, as well as more fuel. This didn't matter to the man holding the money, though; Zuko had a plan in mind, especially in light of his lackluster firebending skills.

"If we can't stay here, I know just the place to go to."

"And what would that be, _captain_?" Toph asked.

"My uncle always talked about having slain the last dragon on Earth. Our relationship, being...kindred, he shared with me a very interesting piece of info back in Ba Sing Se..."

"Zuko, just get to the point. We don't have time for the pleasantries," Katara said.

"Well, he told me the location of the last few dragons, telling me that they lived with these firebending masters in harmony; neither spill each other's blood."

"What does that mean? Stop being vague. Okay, so dragon's are alive, and there's this Fire Tribe just lurking around somewhere. I'm guessing you want to learn firebending from _them?_"

"...it's worth a shot! Besides, they're the original source—"

"Pray tell, where are these 'firebending masters' you speak of? Let me guess, Fire Nation territory!" Sokka stated.

"As luck would have it, these guys aren't located on the island where the capital is. It's...a few hundred miles north, but they've been hidden for hundreds of years."

"Well, isn't that lucky! And I suppose we'll just waltz into the place and ask nicely for their assistance!" Sokka said sarcastically.

"Let's think about this...if they've been 'hidden' for as long as you say they have...what's keeping them concealed?" Toph asks methodically.

"I don't know and I don't care. I need to get their help, one way or another. If not, I hear Hell is lovely during the fall!"

"I suppose we don't—wait, Jeong Jeong!" Katara suggested.

"The former general? You can get _his_ help?"

"Well, we don't know where he is..._and the last time we saw him, he was deep within the Earth Kingdom mainland..._"

"So he's out of the question. Way too dangerous to go there. Let's get into the ship and set sail. Aang'll be waking up in a few days, anyway."

Like clockwork, the entire team loaded all the supplies they'd need for the long trip to the land of the Sun Warriors, "firebending masters" being a mere colloquial name. In a couple weeks time, they'd arrive at their destination, hoping for a lesson or two.

"So, where're the hermits we're looking for?" Katara asked cynically.

"Well, if you didn't get the memo, they're _hidden_. The look of the place is pretty geriatric, probably what they'd want you to think-" As Zuko stepped forward, he accidentally triggered a booby trap in the floor, revealing metal spikes that lined the few meters in front of them.

"So _that's_ how they keep this place so covert..." Sokka said.

"Let me handle the booby traps here, guys. I'll see them hours before any of you even realize what you're walking into..."

"_You're such a badass, Toph..._" Katara said jokingly.

"No problem, cream puff. Anyway, there are ten pitfalls along this trail; I'll lead you through each one, but I'm not sensing any movement throughout the temple."

"...care to tell me why you didn't alert me to the _first_ trap?"

"A girl's got a sense of humor, too."

Gingerly, the group moved themselves through the gauntlet of traps, gawking at the handiwork that must've gone into procuring each of the ensnares. At the end of the trail, they arrived at a dome-shaped room. A golden egg was perched in the center, and Zuko started towards it, Toph pulling him back.

"Zuko, you of all people should know that a golden egg laid at the end of treacherous quagmires means it's just another ploy in it of itself. Haven't you watched any plays, pretty boy?"

"Where do you guys come up with all these nicknames..."

"After acting like nomadic hobos for half a year, you begin to do it reflexively," Sokka said in "a matter of fact" fashion.

"Good thing this entire fiasco should be over in a month...anyway, what's the trap now?"

"Tons of a gelatinous substance below us. My guess is that it'll fill the room and suffocate us. But...we need to draw the masters out, so...I have an idea."

Resourcefully, Toph moved everyone, including herself, outside of the room, preparing to knock the egg slightly with her earthbending skills. As she'd predicted, the doors to the spherical complex closed, and the glue started to proffer from the insides of the building.

To assess the situation, she earthbended the group all around the building, attempting to find any points of visual access so as to know what the tribal men would be looking for upon checking the booby trap for any unsightly visitors.

"Bars at the top, and I was right. I can feel the gooey stuff below my feet. You guys should thank me more often for saving your lives a billion times over."

"You know what, Toph? I think you're right. Thank you," Katara said genuinely.

"Toph...am I really that dim-witted?" Zuko asked seriously.

"Asking that question and formerly trying to catch a 12-year-old kid to no avail is like asking if you're bad at math and not being able to do basic addition."

"Point taken..."

"Hey, you asked."

"So...we wait?" Sokka asked.

"Not like we haven't done it before...I swear, guys, sometimes I feel like my old life would be more lively than this one, and we travel the world on the last flying bison on Earth..."

"I can't imagine you saying that when you were captured by two earthbending yuppies back in Ba Sing Se..." Sokka said condescendingly.

As if it was prophesied, Toph's plan came to fruition. On the horizon, a few tribal men were coming to inspect the trap; needless to say, they were pleased upon knowing that the trap had gone off, displeased to find that no one had fallen into it.

"We have hostiles! Fire Nation soldiers, probably!"

"Sir, we mean no harm!" Zuko yelled.

Automatically, one of the Sun Warriors fired at Zuko, the latter dodging each of the firey blows. Peacefully, the rest of the congregation revealed themselves.

"If you truly mean no harm, lay down your weapons and subject yourself to capture!"

"I hope you know what you're doing, Zuko..."

"Not like you haven't been close to death before..."

Gradually, the group, now imprisoned by the very teachers they sought, traveled throughout the obsolescent settlement, being gawked at by each of the members of the tribe. Immediately, the chief Sun Warrior queried why they'd come here.

"If your reason for being here is in anyway hostile to our way of life, you will be put to death on the spot. Proceed."

"Sir, we come here for my sake, for my rejuvenation in the firebending arts. I require this to teach the avatar."

"And how do we know that you aren't using it for any other purpose?"

"Because you have the avatar's body in your possession right now."

"That's impossible. The avatar hasn't been seen for a hundred years, most likely killed in the avatar state to ensure that no further avatars may succeed him."

"Well, sir, you're half-right. This young avatar, Aang, _was_ killed in the avatar state. Because of this, he cannot enter that form; he is barely alive, inside the body bag you now have."

"Bring me the body bag."

As the chief opened the bag, horror engulfed his usually calm face. The avatar was between life and death, teetering on a spiritual spectrum. In that moment, the chief knew that Zuko was speaking the truth, and nothing but the truth.

"Summon Ran and Shaw. We must teach this young one the true nature of firebending!"

What followed suit amused the three remaining members of the team; Zuko, in their eyes, was taught a "dance" that would restore his firebending powers. Emasculating though it was, by the end of the routine and ceremony, Zuko's firebending was optimized at a level that he'd never thought possible for himself. Instead of drawing his fire from anger and rage, he would instead draw it from the breath, and on an emotional spectrum, from serenity and focus.

The sixteen-year-old rogue prince had finally gotten his sacred ability back, more powerful than ever, possibly enough to face Azula herself. This would definitely do to teach Aang; he'd also be able to teach him the redirection technique that Iroh taught him!

"This is soot," the chief said, feeling his fingertips.

"_What did you say_?_" _Sokka asked, stressed.

"Soot, look. I haven't seen this in over fifty years-"

"We have to leave _now_," Sokka said, the others agreeing in unison.

"...why? It's probably just the smoke from Ran. It'll clear up. Besides, I can't let you leave...you'd tell the entire world about our existence!"

"We won't be around to tell anyone! The Fire Nation is here!" Zuko screamed.

"The soot! Of course! Battle stations, all of you! Won't you stay and help us?"

Altruism was getting the better of both Sokka and Katara, even knowing that Azula and Sai could possibly be on the mainland at this very second. Instead of abandoning the tribal men, as Aang would've abhorred, they decided to stay, they decided to fight.

"Playing right into our hands, Sai. Nothing leaves this island until I get four bodies, all deceased. Thank you for informing the capital. Do you understand?" Sai nodded. This time, Team Avatar would not escape.


	7. The Siege of the Western Isles

Chapter 7: The Siege of the Western Isles

The day reminded Sokka of a calamity seen only five months ago, something he hoped he'd never have to see again. The soot blackened the sky much like any Fire Nation invasion would; he didn't have to guess who was leading it. It was because of that that staying behind and helping the primitive Sun Warriors was risky at best; if the group was lucky, they'd escape on Appa, hopefully with the entire team intact. That inkling was beyond quixotic, though; Azula emitted a type of aura when she was after you, that feeling that you'd never be able to escape, the atmosphere telling you that she would never stop until she completed her goal, whether she wanted you dead or captured. Most of the time, even if she only wanted you captured, you'd end up dead anyway.

"The more I think about this, Katara, the more I know that leaving these people would help them a lot more than fighting with them," Sokka lamented.

"If we just worked off of a system of cutting our losses, Sokka, we wouldn't be here right now. These people require our help, and we're going to give them what they need! If we don't, we might as well join the Fire Nation's ranks."

"Sigh...how about you guys?"

"If the Sun Warriors die, all that firebenders will have to learn off of is the rhetoric spouted by my father. I don't need a new generation of citizens acting like that."

"Running away is all we do. Let's change that."

"Fair enough...but the one thing we absolutely cannot do is lose Aang's body. I'll keep watch over it, you guys help defend the tribal people. If it gets too hot, we leave, no questions asked. Understand?" Sokka stated. The others nodded in agreement.

"For Aang!" Katara screamed.

The air remained quiet; then, it happened. Fireballs began dropping out of the sky, lobbed by the Fire Nation ships now surrounding the Western Isles. Anything and everything foreign to the rule of the imperialistic country would be eradicated with extreme prejudice so as to obliterate any hostiles, especially the four that now resided with the Sun Warriors. As the fireballs dropped, Katara used her water as well as the surrounding fluid to put out the flaming rocks; Zuko attempted to derive any fire he could from the ensuing boulders, keeping the villagers safe.

As all of this was happening, the Sun Warriors began to work in tandem with the two remaining dragons, and head even further west to deal with the back fleet that was controlling the exit of the island. The team noticed this, and begin retreating along with them, until the villagers partitioned some of their soldiers to fight alongside Team Avatar. As all of this was happening, the congregation glimpsed the leaders of the fleet: Sai and Azula.

"We have to go! Both of the leaders are _unfathomably _dangerous; they can kill us right now!" Zuko's words rang true. As he finished his sentence, "Combustion Man" fired a powerful bolt into the tip of the cliff on which the team is standing on; the only thing that saved them was Toph's skill in earthbending.

As this was happening, however, Azula decided to skip the pleasantries and rocket forward with her blue fire, coming extremely close to her brother, himself now in her crosshairs. May and Ty Lee followed.

"Sorry to cut this family reunion short, Zuzu!"As she said this, she conjured up lightning, and attempted to shoot Zuko in the chest with this, just yards away from him. Toph, again, saved the committee, and took them to a safer location, farther back in the temple. The four members of the Fire Nation continued their onslaught, incapacitating any Sun Warrior they find.

"How you doin', _cutee?_" Ty Lee asked.

"Away, now!" Sokka yelled.

"This is getting way too hot! Where are Appa and Momo?!" Toph yelled. Just as she requested their assistance, both of the animals came rocketing out of the sky, ready to assist their friends.

"We don't leave yet! Not until we've repelled the invasion!" Zuko screamed.

"We said no questions asked..." Katara said melancholy.

"Katara, you of all people would rush to those that are helpless. They still need us!"

"And if we die, we won't be helping anyone. Escape now, fight another day!"

"Katara..."

"Zuko, I appreciate the sentiment; believe me, if we could, we would help these people escape to the other side of the world. But this sounds like nothing more than wishful thinking."

"If we leave them now, we'll have a generation of firebenders modeled right after my father!"

"Why do you keep saying that? The Fire Nation has been a totalitarian kingdom for a century; half-naked warriors isolated from the rest of the world weren't going to change that," Sokka stated logically.

"I don't know what to say..." Zuko lamented.

"Then don't say anything. We need to get to the back of the island. I think we can get away there," Toph said.

Faster and faster still, Toph sent the outfit to the back of the land mass, perched by the following Appa and Momo.

"We hold the line here. If things get too dangerous, we're getting out," Sokka stated.

"I've heard that before..." Toph said.

"This time, _I mean it," _Sokka replied, looking straight at Zuko.

The contingent continued to incapacitate oncoming soldiers as the Fire Nation closed in on their position, Azula and Sai coming with them. Just as the two were about to close in on their position, the two dragons fighting westward left their post to protect the group, saving the avatar in the process.

"Get out of here while you still can! We will give our lives for the spirits!" Ran, the blue dragon yelled.

Executing these orders, the group loaded onto Appa, and they began to ascend rapidly into the air. Both Azula and Sai saw this, but were occupied by the two dragons, subsequently killing them, at the cost of what seemed to be tens of thousands of soldiers.

The last two dragons now deceased, Zuko blamed himself, namely his stupidity, Toph chiming in.

"If we'd just gotten out of there—" Toph was cut off by Zuko.

"—We would have Sai, Azula, May, _and_ Ty Lee on our tail. Because of their sacrifice, and my stupidity...we made it out in one piece."

"'One piece.' We can't find another ship, not unless we enter the closest territory out there. I didn't want it to come to this...but we need to go to the Fire Nation," Sokka said.

"Two of the most deadly commanders the world has to offer are from this country you're talking about, and you want to _go to it?_" Toph asked, disillusioned.

"Hey, it's our only choice. They'd never expect us to go there...we'll just ascend a few more hundred meters, hover over the land mass, and settle down somewhere discreet, somewhere far away from the capital. They'd never expect it!"

"You know what I wasn't expecting? What just happened. I'm willing to expect and guarantee anything at this point, since 'Team Avatar' seems to have worse luck than what is caused when a black bear-cat walks across your path..." Toph said depressingly.

"If you've got another location we can go to that's within the general vicinity, I'd love to hear it. The Fire Nation is the closest thing we have. We're going."

"If we get captured, don't blame me..."

"Yeah, that reminds me, _how did they find us?_" Katara asked.

"What do you mean 'How did they find us?' Sai probably followed us and tipped Azula off," Zuko maintained.

"Fire Nation's too far away for an entire fleet to get here in a day," Katara stated. logically.

"Then that must mean...that my sister was on Ember Island! It makes so much sense, it's in pretty close proximity to where we are."

"And you didn't bother to tell us this because...?"

"Because my sister isn't the type to take vacations, especially when she's got wanted war criminals to round up. It was a mistake, I'm sorry."

"You know, you make _a lot_ of mistakes...but I guess I should expect that from the person who couldn't catch a twelve-year-old boy and his two cronies."

"Katara, why do you always have it out for me? What did I ever do to you?"

"You're _seriously_ asking that?"

"Well...what have I done to you _lately?_"

"How about essentially destroying the hopes of saving the world just because of your _whittle_ scar?"

"How could I have known that that was going to happen to Aang?"

"I...I'm just so angry that I failed! All of us failed! _We_ killed Aang! Azula just helped! This is all my fault! I'm the reason this world is going to go up in flames! I shouldn't have been so stupid!"

For the rest of the ride to the small port town in the Fire Nation, Katara just remained quiet, sobbing at her one decision, her one mistake. "_If I'd just used my head, Aang would be here right now, awake, ready to fight along with us. Why did I ever use it on Zuko?_" Her thoughts ran deeper, hurting her more and more. "_Why did I ever resolve to use my spirit water on someone who'd be trying to kill us for the past six months? Why did I even accept him when he started to be sentimental? Why didn't I just retaliate?_" She couldn't think about it any longer, and later, she fell asleep. It was best that she be left alone during the entire process, and the rest of the group understood that, Zuko especially.

Zuko's case was in many ways as detrimental as Katara's. He was starting to have thoughts, dark thoughts, suicidal thoughts. Everything he seemed to get muddled in, he ended up ruining. He couldn't catch Aang, he couldn't take care of his uncle, he couldn't even save one person when it mattered most. In his eyes, and in his mind, probably others', he was a failure, a misstep, someone who should've never been born.

The only reason he had for being alive now was the fact that he had to train the avatar; after that, what else? He had chosen his path, and he surmised that he made the right choice, but in that moment, he thought to himself, what if Katara hadn't put that water on my scar? What if it hadn't healed? Would I have joined Azula? Would his new friends be better off if I'd just taken the other side, or succumbed to death entirely? Some of these questions, he was sure he had the answer to. Perhaps, he did.

"We're going to start descending...is everyone okay?" Momo replied joyfully, as did Appa.

"A-Okay, Ace," Toph said.

"Stop trying to be cool, that's my job," Sokka retorted.

"You don't do your job very well."

"You want to go?"

"Try me, non-bender."

"Katara, Zuko, you okay?" No answer.

"Both of you, wake up. Sokka says we're approaching our destination."

"Shut up!" Katara and Sokka yell in unison.

"Just what we need, two moody teenagers..."

They grounded; upon this discovery, the entire group set up camp and marched into town, donning whatever cloaks they could find before scavenging for food.

"Any money, or do we need to steal?" Sokka asked. Zuko quickly whipped out his money, hoping to get the purchasing over with. He'd had enough of that day, enough of the group in general. He just needed to think for a while, get his thoughts collected, much like Katara.

She went to check on Aang as soon as she could.

"I hope you'll be ready soon..."

Aang groaned in pain.

"Your grunts are enough for me for now...I'm just overjoyed you're alive. Please, wake up soon, won't you?" More grunting.

As Katara was tending to Aang's wounds, Sokka decided to consult Zuko over how he'd been feeling during the latter part of the day.

"What's going on? Don't lie to me."

"It's just..."

"Just what? You've been a buzzkill from day one. This has to stop, it's killing the morale of the entire team."

"It's just that I'm useless!"

"...what?"

"This entire time, all I've been is a liability! Don't deny it, you think that too!"

"Zuko...if things were that way, we would've dropped you off where you'd be safe and been on our way. We need you, you know that."

"Just to teach the avatar and then to go die in a hole, right? Because that's all I'm good for!"

"I didn't say anything..."

"But you're thinking it!"

"Maybe _you're_ thinking it."

"...yeah...maybe."

"What's this inferiority complex you've got going on? I've noticed it ever since the first day we met."

"The _first_ day? The South Pole? Am I really that obvious?"

"Your tough guy act proves a little conspicuous, yes."

"...you can guess where my inadequacy comes from. I come from a family of great people, and look at me. I'm a hermit, traveling the world as a criminal. We could be captured the very next day, we won't know until then. Things always used to be so sure..."

"Back when you were the Fire Lord's kid? I actually imagined that being something kind've like hell."

"It...it had its moments. He wasn't a...terrible guy, well, obviously, he was a bad father. He was selfish, loathsome, I don't know why I wanted him to like me."

"Because you didn't like you."

"...I think you're right.

"And what do you mean by things being so 'sure?'"

"I think you know what I mean. Knowing where your next meal is going to come from. Having a home. Not having to fight a war."

"But you've always been fighting the war, you were just fighting it on a father-son front. Look, I know how it feels not to have a father, both proverbially and tangibly. I understand."

"_You_ understand having an abusive parent always telling you how much less you are than your sister?"

"Well, no...I always took care of Katara."

"...seriously? It seems like she runs the group when we're not talking about scheduling and stuff like that."

"She was pretty helpless before she had to face you."

"...I had that effect on her? Wow..."

"Well, having a bloodthirsty firebender checking every nook and cranny for you and your friends can make people like that."

"Sokka...I'm sorry. For everything. For all that I've done to you. For all that I've done to this world."

"You said sorry the minute you joined us. I forgave you that day."

"...thank you, Sokka. You know...I think this is the first time I've ever been truly accepted for who I really was."

"I don't know, I think that Mai girl kinda likes you."

"Ah, Mai...I hope we can still be together after the war."

"Wishful thinking, Z, wishful thinking."

"You know what? I think I'll let you call me that."

"That reminds me. I want you to talk to my sister. I think you're the only one that can really console her at this point. She just seems so...damaged."

"Sure thing, Sokka. Thank you for talking."

"Anytime, teammate!"

As the discussion ended, Katara exited Aang's tent, venturing back to her bed. Zuko followed.

"What do _you_ want?"

"To get an understanding. If we're going to survive as a group, we need to have camaraderie between each other. This animosity between us has to stop."

"I suppose you're right..."

"So, tell me what's bothering you."

"You already know."

"You're angry at me for how Aang's doing."

"...no. To be honest, I'm a bit angry at myself."

"Why?"

"Why do you ask questions you already know the answer to?"

"I'm not a telepath. Just say it."

"Fine. I'm angry at myself for how stupid I was, how short-sighted I was when I healed you with my spirit water. _My spirit water_, something sacred from the Northern Water Tribe, a place you attacked—"

"-I didn't attack it. In fact, I was nearly killed there by the person who tried to take the place."

"I learn new things every day about you, let's hope that one of the things I learn isn't detrimental to your image."

"Neither do I—"

"-Let me finish; when I used it on you, I was a helpless little girl."

"You didn't seem so helpless when we sparred back at the tribe."

"You were a stupid teenage boy fighting someone in their own element, both figuratively and physically. Let me tell you something. I am not the stupid, kindred little girl that you met nine months ago. I am strong, I am smart, and I am lethal."

"Where is this going?"  
"If you hurt _any_ member of the group, or attempt to hurt anyone in _any way_, _especially_ Aang, I will do something irrevocable, without any second thoughts, without any consideration of the repercussions. Do you understand?"

"Again with this! Why can't you just accept me as part of the team?! Things would go so much easier if you just calmed down and stopped labeling me as the enemy! I. Am. On. Your. Side! How many more times do I need to spell it out to you? It's not like I've betrayed your trust!"

"And you'd do well not to start. This is a warning; tomorrow, we can get comfortable with each other. For now, you sleep in your tent, and I'll sleep in mine. Good night."

Zuko, subsequently exiting the tent, emitted the loudest possible shriek of annoyance he could possibly muster. This night had been a double-edged sword for him.


	8. Gaining an Understanding

Chapter 8: Gaining an Understanding

"Decided to take you up on your offer for a talk today."

"Zuko...I apologize for my behavior towards you lately. It was immature and uncalled for."

"Is this a test?"

"No, but thanks for giving me that idea. I suppose you passed!"

"Is it okay if you explain to me why you've been angry so lately, especially at me? I think I know; I just want it confirmed."

"Well...like I said yesterday, I wasn't so much mad at you, well, maybe a little...I was mad at me, for being so careless."

"Well...your carelessness bought me a nice disguise, at the very least."

"Aang's going to wake up soon; I'll feel better when he does. I suppose I did give you a nice concealing factor."

"You've also repaired some emotional wounds, along with the rest of the team, of course."

"I'm glad to hear that. Again, my source of conflict comes from the fact that Aang would probably be awake right now if I hadn't done it. But, he'll be awake again anyway. I suppose it doesn't matter much."

"He won't be able to fight the Father Lord—I mean Fire Lord, my father, whatever. But yeah, I don't have enough time to teach him, and you said it yourself: he can't go into the avatar state. He'll be a sitting duck if he strikes."

"You're right...but we still need to fight the Fire Lord come the day of. And we only have about twenty days until the comet arrives."

"Which is why I want to find my uncle."

"...are you kidding? That's incredibly risky! We don't even know where he is!"

"But we can find someone who does."

"Who...oh." The both of them said it in unison. "June."

Before they could go and tell the others, however, they saw a sightly figure, one of which they hadn't seen in more than two months: Aang himself.

"Aang...is that you? _Are you awake?_"

"...where am I? Where are we? And why is _he_ here? Where's my glider?"

"I'll answer your questions all at once! We're in Fire Nation territory-"

"-We are?! Are we preparing for the invasion? Is Zuko helping us?" Aang's eyes filled with glee.

"Sadly, no..."

"Then what could we be here for? I feel like it's only been a few days...and being trapped in the iceberg felt like a few days too..."

"I suppose I should tell you...you've been asleep for almost two and a half months."

"..._**what?**_" Aang had to do a double-take. He couldn't fathom it. _Two months_. And his brain instantly made the connection: there was little time until the comet was to come.

"Oh no, this is bad, this is _really bad_..."

"Aang, calm down, we realize the severity of the situation. Specifically, it's September 1st. We have twenty days," Zuko stated.

"What are we going to do?! The invasion either failed or never happened, soldiers were either captured or never rallied, I haven't been learning firebending; how could this possibly get any worse?!"

"We're aware of the fact that we don't have much of a plan either...we were basically thinking that you'd learn firebending and defeat my father after the comet."

"Oh, this is bad, this is terrible...do we even know what's going to happen the day the comet comes?"

"Unfortunately, no."

Upon hearing this, Aang became more depressed than ever, easily losing hope and destroying any morale that the two members of the team once had.

"The war is over."

"Aang, it isn't," Katara consoled. "We have _you_."

"_What good is an avatar that can't even go into the avatar state, let alone bend all four elements?!_ The Fire Nation has won! They won when they took Ba Sing Se. They won when I abandoned the people that needed my help. They won when they found out all they were going to have to worry about was a twelve-year-old boy with a possible hyperactive disorder!"

"Aang, don't say that. Everything is going to be fine! We're all here, aren't we?"

"Aang, nice to see you again!" Sokka said.

"Welcome back, Twinkle Toes," Toph stated.

"Don't call me that! This is no time for games! I've been asleep for two and a half months, and the comet is twenty days away! We might as well deliver ourselves to the Fire Nation!"

"We won't have to do that. I have a plan," Zuko says, calming everyone except Aang down.

"Why didn't you say that before? And I don't mean to be rude, but why was I out for over one sixth of the year?!"

"Because the spirit water I wanted to use to revive you was used on...someone else." Aang quickly looked around at whoever else could've possibly utilized the spirit water as much as he could've. Then, he recognized the lack of a scar on Zuko's face; apparently, the prince's "disguise" served him to no avail. "We'll recount the events of what happened later. Right now, we have to listen to Zuko."

"Okay, Aang, you're in no shape to fight my father."

"I realize that."

"Because of that, we have to find someone who can. And who's good at finding people?" The rest of the group replied in unison, akin to what Katara and Zuko did. "June!"

"And how are we going to find _her?_"

"We'll have to travel to the Earth Kingdom mainland."

"And avoid Fire Nation troops while we're at it."

"The land we'll be traveling to won't be heavily fortified. It's just miles and miles of grasslands that the Fire Nation won't deem important. The most significant landmark in that vicinity is Omashu-"

"Bumi!"

"Suki! We're not saving everyone we want to save, Aang. We just need your...?"

"Uncle Iroh."

"Uncle Iroh. Aang, I promise, once the war is over, we'll find Bumi, we'll find Suki, we'll find everyone we need and want."

"I understand."

"So, here's the plan. We leave the Fire Nation tonight; hopefully, Appa we'll be fast enough to make the trip in a day or two. We have the supplies."

"You can do it, buddy!" Aang said as he caressed Appa, petting Momo at the same time.

"If everyone's agreed on this plan, let's load up and set out!" Sokka proclaimed.

"Sorry about your glider, Aang. It got burnt to a crisp by a man we like to call..." Katara started the sentence.

"Combustion Man! Or Sai, I like Combustion Man better." Sokka said.

Seamlessly, the group works in tandem to push all of their gear and items onto the flying bison, Aang taking the helm for the first time in months.

"It's good to be back..."

"Aang, don't push yourself. You're still very weak from the revival; it's likely that you'll require healing sessions along the way. We land as soon as we see neutral grounds."

"That'll be tough...Sokka and I can switch shifts with him. Oh yeah, and Aang; once you're okay again, we're pounding away at the firebending, no ifs, ands, or buts. Understand?"

"Sure, Sifu Hothead!"

"Another nickname..."

The group set out, Appa flying at unprecedented speeds, acceleration surprising even himself. He was ecstatic to see his best friend walking and talking again; this probably provided the impetus needed to make the trip to the mainland in just six hours.

"I've never flown that fast in my entire life..." Toph said.

"We'll set up camp here-" Katara was cut off.

"-Do we need to? I'd much rather just reach the tavern tonight than waste time. She may move around."

"If you were able to guess that she was located in a smelly Earth Kingdom tavern in the first place, I don't think she'll be going very far."

"Good point, but what if we're being tailed? We've had the bad habit of assuming not, and having it bite us on the ass later..."

"An even better point made by you, Zuko...do we need to stay here?"

"I'll be fine," Aang said heartily.

"I'm not the one who got shot in the back," Sokka said half-comedically.

"I can only see with my feet, so I'd rather see with my feet in a place that matters."

"Fair enough. Nevermind."

"Wait, Appa, are you okay with this?" Appa replied whole-heartedly, ready to make a thousand journeys of this caliber. They were going to find June, and they were going to do it within the receding day.

Flying continued, and Sokka and Zuko maintained their promise of switching shifts.

"Catch me up to speed?"

"Sure. Well...it's been a whirlwind. We had to get you revived as soon as possible, so we went to the Northern Water Tribe, that went pretty well. Then we got to the mountain range just northwest to Ba Sing Se..."

"Your tone doesn't sound inviting."

"Wasn't fun...got introduced to Combustion Man."

"Will we see him again?"

"Knowing how adamant all these paid killers are, probably."

"'Fun.'"

"Oh, definitely. Then we started wandering around aimlessly...we did it pretty well, had a lot of supplies, like we do now. Then we had to worry about Zuko..."

"What happened with him?"

"Well...he lost his bending for a short time."

"Wow, seriously?"

"Well, not fully...but what he showed after his turning to our side wasn't...impressive."

"What happened?"

"We visited the Sun Warriors, got to witness the last two dragons in existence."

"Your tone doesn't sound appealing there, either."

"Because she came."

"Who's she?"

"Need I say more?"

"Oh...her...anyone else?"

"'Combustion Man' and her two cronies. Other stuff happened there too, stuff I wouldn't like to get into right now."

"It's okay. How have all of you been? I was sort've in a coma there...really missed all of you. And Zuko's on board! That's awesome, I have a firebending teacher!"

"It's been good. Zuko and I have had our...issues, mostly caused by me, but it's meh. I think we're starting to get along."

"It brings joy to my heart to know that we're all making peace. About what I said earlier today...I didn't mean it, at least, now I don't. I really think we have a chance. All we have to do is stick together, trust each other."

"Yeah...I think you're right. You know what? You are. We're going to get through this. To Team Avatar!"

"To Team Avatar!" All replied at once.

It was the beginning of the morning, and Appa showed no sign of slowing down. They'd made it; in front of them was the tavern they'd sought after. In there, June would hold the key to the entire world's salvation.

"Oh, look, it's Prince Pouty, and he's friends with his prisoner now. Stockholm Syndrome must be nice this time of year."

"This 'prisoner' here is very important, much like the rest of this planet."

"My my, aren't we giddy?"

"You want giddy? I'll give you giddy! This world is coming to an end in nineteen days if we don't find my uncle!"

"What uncle? You mean your creepy grandpa?"

"...yes."

"What's in it for me?"

"I'm sorry, did you just tune into the conversation? _Life_ is what's in it for you if you do this for me. That's not a threat, and I won't perpetrate the murder. The Fire Nation will in a couple of weeks."

"Point taken, point taken...scent?"

"...right here."

"I'll get Nyla, good sample."

The rivalry kindled between Nyla and Appa was still ever-fearsome. It took both Aang and June to calm their animosity down.

"She's got a scent. Follow."

The group loaded onto the bison and proceeded to track Nyla. They were going at breakneck speeds, but it was worth it. In a few hours, they'd get a hold of the one man that could save this world.

Further and further still; the caravan did spot the occasional Fire Nation soldier company; they even got to see some battles between some earthbending and firebending factions; they were a spectacle, to say the least, even if people were dying. The team made sure to stay energized; anything could happen on the way, and it looked as if they were venturing to Ba Sing Se, hopefully not inside it.

"Here's your stop. If the world does end up going belly-over, I'm coming for you, pretty boy."

"Noted." And just like that, June was gone, a whisper, a memory.

"So your uncle's here? I bet he's going to be so proud of you..." Katara said.

"I...I made the right choice."

"Indeed, _you did_."

As the congregation ventured inside the settlement bordering the outskirts of Ba Sing Se, a ring of fire surrounded them, followed by a familiar face: Jeong Jeong.

"Master Jeong Jeong!"

"Pakku!"

"Bumi!"

"Who's the other guy next to you? He doesn't look like a bender."

"This is Master Piandao, expert at sword combat," Pakku informed.

"It is nice to meet you all..." Piandao greeted.

The group was lead inside the main camp, and Zuko instantly remembered why all the old men were wearing tunics: the White Lotus.

"Your uncle is in the main tent at the end of the corridor," Piandao stated.

"Thank you, sir."

Zuko slowly approached the cotton tent, ready to face his uncle with admiration and respect. This was reciprocated by his geriatric uncle...upon his awakening, a few hours later.

"It is nice to hear from you again."

"It's nice to hear from you too. Now, turn around and let it be nice to _see_ you again." The two embraced each other with a hearty hug, tears gushing from Zuko's uncle, causing Zuko to weep as well.

"You cannot fathom the immensity of the pride I feel for you, my nephew...I am so proud of you!"

"I feel the same way about you...it is truly good to see you again, Uncle. I've missed you."

"Have you taught the avatar any firebending yet?"

"Unfortunately, no...he just woke up today."

"What do you mean?"

"This is the first time he's been truly awake since Azula shot him."

"Oh no..."

"And this is why I came to you."

"You...want me to defeat the Fire Lord for him?"

"It's the only way to win the war. Aang will never be ready to face him this year, let alone this month in his current condition."

"I appreciate the sentiment, my nephew, but you must understand that merely defeating the Fire Lord will not cause the Fire Nation itself to relent. In fact, if I do such a thing, it'll just be seen as a brother killing a brother, nothing more, nothing less. Besides, I'm not even sure if I _could_ best him, let alone kill him."

"Uncle, you are our only choice, our last resort-"

"I am sorry, my nephew, but you will have to find someone else. Have...have faith in the avatar. If you train him enough, if you wait long enough, you will see that the results ring true. If the war does not end nineteen days from now, perhaps it will sometime after. Besides, I already have plans for what I am to do that day."

"...what?"

"We plan to retake the city of Ba Sing Se and use it as a staging ground for a new rebel syndicate made in the form of the White Lotus."

"That...that could work for us! What if we were to help you there?"

"That would definitely be a great aid. Tell your friends and see what they think."

"Uncle has come up with a wondrous idea."

"What is it?" Aang asked.

"The White Lotus, his organization, was already planning the siege of the city we're outside of. They're saying that they want to use it as a staging area for a rebel group made in their conglomerate's image. Ba Sing Se is easily defendable...if we were to take it, we could reinvigorate the war effort!"

"What about him fighting the Fire Lord?"

"He argued very well...stating that he probably wouldn't be able to defeat him, although I tend to disagree..."

"Get to the point, why won't he do it?"

"Because taking out one man won't disarm the entire country."

"You're—he's right...well, I have no better alternative. What do you guys think?" The band agreed with the motion, and decided to wait until the day of Sozin's Comet to make their strike on the landmark city.


	9. Sozin's Comet

Chapter 9: Sozin's Comet

Ignorance and apathy, two elements that many debate about over which one is worse. On this day, ignorance definitely won out. Rallying the troops to his cause, Fire Lord Ozai denominated himself the "Phoenix King," and commanded that Azula become Fire Lord, her coronation taking place at sunset. Team Avatar and its associates wouldn't be aware of what would transpire this day until after it happened, making it all the more painful and terrorizing.

"Today is the day, my friends. We will siege Ba Sing Se, we will take the city, and we will fight the war from there. Do not fear, destiny is with us today. _I know it._," Uncle Iroh maintained.

"The Fire Nation is bound to have plans for what they're going to use the comet for...does anyone know?" Katara asked.

"...if anyone knew, we would know by now, someone would've said something," Zuko stated.

"Then I guess we all hope what they do isn't too catastrophic..."

"It isn't time to worry about that. We _have_ to have this city. It's the only way."

"I suppose you're right."

The sky began turning a bright, firey red, almost blood color. Once this started to take place, the seniors of the White Lotus gathered around Iroh, Team Avatar not far behind. Bumi raised the ground up from under him, creating an earthen pedestal; once this was done, Iroh began revving his fire, preparing to create a giant hole in the now weakened walls of Ba Sing Se. Once the fire was large enough, he sent it at the barricade, immediately destroying it, Bumi pushing the rock forward.

Once all of this was done, the two groups, now melded into one, started protecting the senior firebender; all of this being done as they entered the city. Aang himself had learned a small amount of firebending, as well as how to redirect lightning, from the man who created, Iroh. Because of this, even in his still weakened state, he was able to use enhanced firebending techniques, providing extraordinary results.

As soon as the congregation was inside the city, they all went their separate ways, except for Aang and Katara, who resolved to stay together on account of Aang's condition. Within hours, the potent faction managed to take control of the city, earthbender rebels joining their cause. As long as they were able to get the message out about the rebellion that the White Lotus was fomenting, they had a chance at defeating the Fire Nation. Everything was going swimmingly, until Pakku, Aang, and Katara lost something very precious to them. As soon as they realized what was happening, they looked up at the moon: grey as can be, much like what they saw at the North Pole just half a year ago; only, this was reformed. They could all sense it; _both_ fish in the Spirit Oasis were dead, not just the one.

Without thinking any further, the entire outfit decided to meet in Iroh's former tea shop.

"Oh no...no, they couldn't have. They wouldn't; the Water Tribes have left them alone for decades, just trying to protect their land...the tribes _must_ still be in existence!" Katara yelled in disbelief.

"...I...I can't even suppose something like this happening. They...they actually did it. They used Sozin's Comet to wipe out the Water Tribes. We're...the last waterbenders on Earth."

"You're telling me...that my people just did to the Water Tribe what they did to Aang's a hundred years ago?"

"I...I need to rest. My god..."

"Aang, that can't be true! Try to waterbend right now! ...go into the avatar state!"

"You know I can't! ...they actually did it! Two peoples, now gone! I...I fail, every time! Not just the airbenders, the waterbenders too! I'm the worst avatar to have ever existed! I should kill myself right now and wait for the replacement!"

"I'm not sure there'll be another avatar if you die, Aang...and don't say stuff like that! We need you! You're the reason we can still fight!"

"If I'm the reason you can still fight the Fire Nation, what was the point of fighting the war these last hundred years?! Why all the death and destruction! If I'd just been there, none of this would be happening. I could stop all those people from dying!"

"Aang, you're not omnipotent! We need to calm down and think—"

"None of you understand the position this has put me in! I'm the avatar, so I bear the responsibility! Millions of people...dead because of me! I can't even bend all four elements anymore! It isn't possible!"

"Well, at least we know what we're supposed to do now. We have to retake the the Northern Water Tribe, then the Southern. Once word of our victory in Ba Sing Se gets out, other pockets of revolutionaries will reveal themselves to us. We just have to be patient," Sokka calmly said.

"And for what? So more people can die because of some ruthless firebenders? I've said it before and I'll say it again. They've won! Azula and her friends are probably coming here right now to ameliorate the situation! We're all going to die!"

"Enough, Aang! Pessimistic thinking will get us nowhere but six feet under. I do indeed believe that an extra fleet is being sent out to retake the city. We'll destroy it, we have the means. Besides, word's probably gotten out about this attack. People will think that the Fire Nation is weak, and because of that, they'll fight with us. We will make the Fire Nation know our name: the Order of the White Lotus," Iroh stated.

Days passed, and the waterbenders attempted to no avail to use their hereditary skill. The more they tried, the more depressed they became, to the point where they all just had go to bed, more days passing. Aang had thoughts, thoughts akin to Zuko's, and they began to fester, despite the fact that the avatar might not return if he was to die. The cycle had truly been broken this time, and the only thing that would fix it was the revival of the two fish in that oasis, thousands miles away from their current location.

It probably wouldn't matter if the entirety of the crew attacked the Northern Water Tribe anyway; the bodies of the two koi fish were probably disintegrated on account of the great amount of fire conveyed by the northern fleet. The infinitesimal chances of actually winning this war were finally starting to way down on Aang's kindred, upbeat spirit. At this point, in his eyes, the world was beyond help, beyond repair, beyond the avatar. It would take more than the avatar state to fix the status of things going on around the planet. He could see it: one hundred more years of war, probably followed by dozens of power struggles in the Fire Nation, leading to an era of warring states, one with more death and bloodshed than the current war would ever offer.

The world was ending, and there was little Aang could do. Would it matter if he was alive or not? What good was he if he couldn't even enter a form through which so many avatars had remedied situations? Would bending three elements be enough to stop the ruthless Fire Nation? All of these questions and more were racing in his mind, all of which he didn't seem to have an answer to, and if he did, he preferred not to answer the question at all, for the properties of his answer would be even more distressing. Even so, the following day would not accept his melancholic demeanor; it was October 1st, and the remedial fleet had arrived, led by the usual suspects, and someone even more problematic: the Phoenix King himself.

"Prepare, rebels! The fleet is here! Battle stations!" Iroh commanded. Prepared, the entire crew, no longer called Team Avatar, by the White Lotus, slowly spooled out of their battlements, ready to fight. Instead of using waterbending, Pakku and Katara instead took up sword-fighting, as well as various forms of hand-to-hand combat. Both of them would learn how to fight from the remaining Kyoshi Warriors that had arrived to supplement the White Lotus' forces. It having been only ten days, yet their fighting was more than lackluster.

"Water felt so much nicer..."

"It'll be okay. Soon, we'll have our waterbending back. I promise," Aang consoled.

"Everyone, hide! We'll need to use guerrilla tactics if we want to repel the attack!" Iroh communicated to the rebel group.

The ships approached the fortified position, all eyes protruding from the military blimps scanning the area for possible hostiles. Once the fleet completely covered the city in its shadow, troops started being dispatched to the ground. Once this started happening, bolts of fire came from the firebenders in the rebel company, earthbenders following with their huge rocks and boulders, all coming from the southwest increment of the city. Following guerrilla strategy, the other four quadrants of the city chose to stay dormant until otherwise notified.

Once the southwest fighters were done with their onslaught, the northwest began to fire, the southwest hiding underground through secret passages that had been created by the Dai Li before the Fire Nation incursion. Dai Li agents were sent from the Fire Nation airships in quick succession to add another layer of girth to the Fire Nation's battle strategy. As a result of this, the northwestern fighters subsided, hiding underground, soon to be met by Dai Li agents and peripheral firebenders, all of which they would dispatch on account of the fact that the sub-terrain had been altered ever so slightly by the new occupants of the city. Just as this happened, the southeastern section of the city began sending surface-to-air debris at the oncoming ships; because of the maelstrom of objects hitting the airships at critical points, many started being downed, creating large craters in their wake. The commanders of the battle knew they had to do something.

"Azula, take Sai and your friends and neutralize the center of the city. It's probably where they'll keep the higher-ups."

"Father, what if they're located underground?"

"Do as I say! Go!"

The powerful company descended to ground level, where they met only bombs disguised as people. Sai and Azula being firebenders, they were easily able to evade the oncoming destruction; because of the agility of the other two, Mai and Ty Lee, the explosives didn't prove to be much of a problem for them either.

"Father may have commanded us to come down here to inspect the land. However, since I am the only commander now in the vicinity, I order the three of you to inspect the three locations that have been firing at the airships. I will take on the fourth; if they do indeed go under the land, follow them and kill whoever you can." "Kill" was not a word Ty Lee was used to hearing; she was finally on the front lines of the war, and she wasn't sure how she felt about that. Instead of killing, she resolved to disable her opponents. Mai would not be so forgiving.

The crew had their objectives; if any of them were to find anyone of interest, they were to kill that person on sight, no second thoughts. Sai took the northwest, finding absolutely nothing there. Because he was girded by strong metal parts placed all over his body, he moved slowly, hindering his search effort; however, he was able to fire at the ground. This action successfully created a gaping hole within it, allowing him to enter. Upon his entrance into the underground lair, he was greeted by two earthbenders who immediately attempted to restrain him; he responded in kind by using his combustion ability and leveling the entire segment of the catacombs he was now venturing through. Through this, his exploration of the caves was stymied; he would take note of that and be sure to use his unique ability only in times of great stress.

He pressed forth, finding multiple rebels that he either choked to death with his powerful iron limb, or chose to burn alive via his firebending skills. He was a ruthless murderer, only stopped by one thing: interference with his unique practice. Ubiquitous amounts of debris began to fall where he stood, prompting him to keep a level head and put even more regulations on the times at which he was allowed to use his combustion ability. The ensuing rebel companies would not allow for this; they continuously rocked him with their earthbending abilities; even some rebel firebenders joined in the fray; it was at this point that he allowed himself to use his keen avenue of destruction, creating more fragments in his vicinity. Utilizing greater guerrilla strategy, a rebel snuck up behind him with a knife, reflexively forcing him to use the combustion capability, at point-blank range. They would both die, but the more important belligerent would be going on, while a common soldier would be giving his life for the freedom of the world.

Ty Lee's story was a little less tragic; she was assigned to the northeastern region of the battle, one compartment of which had remained docile for the time being. This made infiltration complicated due to the fact that soldiers were still hiding on ground-level; for Ty Lee, however, this meant more fun, more people to fight. She started by disabling five rebel soldiers in quick succession, being careful not to alert other increments of the section to her aggression. The next house went down much the same way, but the third house was a different story. As soon as she entered it, the complex was barricaded by Earth; she realized that the blind earthbender had found her.

"Your footsteps remind me a lot of Twinkle Toes...I don't like being reminded of him, especially since he was dead for two months."

"Come on out and fight me like a real woman!"

"'Fraid not. You had a hand in incapacitating my friend. Now I'm gonna do the same to you." The earth beneath Ty Lee started moving up, the ceiling coming closer to the floor. It didn't take her long to realize that Toph was going to crush her unless she could do something about it. Lucky for her, Mai and Ty Lee were ones never to be separated. Mai knew that her friend would get in some sort of trouble, so she decided to tail her to keep her safe. Due to this, the southwestern portion of the rebel fighters was left relatively untouched.

"You don't let my friend go, your pain is going to be ten times longer than her's." Mai stuck a knife under Toph's throat; she wasn't kidding.

"Mai, you came for me?! ...thank you! But what about your part of the city?"

"It can wait, especially since you almost ate it over here."

"I would've been fine! I always am!" And in that moment, Mai let her guard done, allowing Toph to restrain her, momentarily stopping the enclosure of the walls of the house. This allowed Ty Lee to weaken the stone girding, allowing her to breath, right before Toph bored a hole into the wall, placing both of them back in, closing them in.

"Two Fire Nation sluts instead of one. That'll do. You know, Mai, is it? Zuko talks about you. Talks about you a lot."

"Give him back you prepubescent asshole! You stole him from me!"

"He came to us of his own accord, good thing too. The world can't survive while the Fire Nation still exists like this."

"...I know."

"Half-expected you to agree. I mean, who on Earth would agree with the invasion and genocide of not one, but _two _peoples?"

"If you let us go, we'll fight for you."

"I'm guessing you guys are good liars, since I don't feel any vibrations below my feet. Anyway, this is a bit rushed, switching sides like you are."

"We promise! We just want to live!"

"You'll probably die on our side anyway. You're not fooling anyone."

"If you truly want to be sure...bring Zuko to us."

"And risk his death in battle? Already one person playing with fire here, no pun intended, and that's me. We don't need two crucial soldiers lost."

"If you bring Zuko, he'll be able to decipher whether we truly want to defect or not. Besides, who _wouldn't_ want to fight the Fire Nation after they massacred two nations now? It's just the earthbenders and us. And besides that, if Zuko finds out that you killed us, his friends since childhood, he won't be happy, possibly unhappy enough to return to us."

"And get killed. Fine, five minutes. If he isn't here by then, both of you die instantly. Understand?" The two captives shook their head. With expert precision and skill, Toph began to earthbend a message into the ceiling of the underground base where Zuko was located. He heeded his orders and came to Toph's location. The anticipation made the pair of Fire Nation soldiers sweat profusely. Finally, they heard a voice, _Zuko's_ voice. Upon seeing his face, Mai realized the emotional mistake she'd made, and immediately ignored his presence.

"Mai, Ty Lee...is that you in there?" Zuko asked.

"Tell me if they're lying about joining our side or not. They're wanted criminals in my eye, and I'd have no problem killing them. They've been a threat since day one."

"It's us, Zuko! Convince the crazy blind girl to let us out!" Ty Lee yelled.

"Mai...are you there?" Silence.

"Mai...I know that the choices I've been making in the past have been...unorthodox." More silence.

"But I want you to know that all those decisions have been completely justified. _Both_ of you fight for an evil cause, one which seeks to destroy the entire spirituality and freedom of this world. You can tell, the Fire Nation is a totalitarian, authoritarian state. It cannot be allowed to rule the greater world; in fact, its government needs to be neutralized and reformed as quickly as possible."

"Why should we listen to _you?_ You're a traitor, or if not, you're indecisive. You've failed at every single thing you've done in your short pathetic life so far; what makes you think you'll succeed with this?" Zuko began to sob slightly. Mai's words stung, not only because of who it was coming from, and its general animosity, but because he believed every part of it.

"I know that! I know that all—"

"Zuko, please, decide. We don't have time for this."

"Go ahead and kill us! I'd rather die fighting for a country that at least knows what it's going to do tomorrow than for a ragtag team of fighters that don't know where their next meal is going to come from."

"Mai...be quiet...I actually like life. And Zuko...has a point."

"Fine then, kill me, let her live. I can't stand the thought of being next to a traitor all-live-long day, both of you."

"Mai...do you care for the Fire Nation? Or are you just mad that I've made the correct decision?"

"You've always been a self-righteous douchebag, you know that?"

"If you truly do care for our country, you'll see why I'm trying to reason with you..."

"...fine! Maybe I _do_ think that what the Fire Nation does is wrong. But I'm still loyal to it."

"Like being loyal to a father that beats and berates you every day for just being you. Please, Mai, come." And in that moment, May realized that her logic was defeated; she sincerely didn't have a reason for fighting for a genocidal race of warmongers other than the fact that she greatly feared one of her best "friends," Azula.

"Zuko...I'm scared."

"Not the time to be. Which is it going to be, _princess_?"

"I'll...alright. But you have to protect us from Azula. Please, she'll torture all of us if you don't."

"I'm aware. Letting you out."

"I'll be with you every step of the way, okay, May?" Zuko said with a smile.

"I...I sort've trust you."

"That's a start."

"It'll have to do, too. I think Azula and her armada are aware of the current camaraderie," Toph said wittingly.

With excessive force, the fleet begin their raid on the entire eastern portion of Ba Sing Se, Azula choosing to fire at the new rebels Mai and Ty Lee for betraying her.

"Death is too merciful a punishment for the treachery you've just dealt against the Fire Nation! You will burn in hellfire for this!" Zuko began to fire at Azula first, Toph following, and then Mai and Ty Lee. All of them surround her, Toph almost having her with her earthbending skill. Azula strategically evaded, sending maelstroms of fire down at them, almost as if Sozin's Comet had returned that very day. The newly formed congregation dodged gracefully, Azula choosing to take her newfound anger out on her own brother.

"If I'm out two friends, I might as well be out a brother, too." Just as she said that, she shot a deadly bolt of lightning from two of her fingertips, immediately striking Zuko in the chest. Just as this was done, she attempted to evade the punches of Ty Lee, albeit haphazardly, resulting in the nullification of her bending.

"Don't go any further...what's your name?" Toph asked.

"Ty Lee!"

"Ty Lee, don't hurt her anymore. We need her for questioning." Ty Lee did as she was told, and the battle continued; now, the northeastern portion of the city was attacking, galvanizing the other sections into action to finish off the fleet. Ozai knew he had made his mark; the entire city-state was leveled by the time the attack had subsided, and he'd lost two commanders, one of which was dead. Because of this, he strategically yielded to fight another day; the rebels had taken some heavy hits, losing over a thousand of their own ranks, while the Fire Nation had been smart and only brought about that to man the fleet and send paratroopers in to cause further destruction.

Azula looked on while her father left her, perplexed at how Ty Lee had ignored the fact that one of her childhood friends had suddenly become injured; she marveled at her former friend's tenacity and resolve before threatening all of them with the might of the Fire Nation.

"Ty, is it okay if I call you that?"

"Sure!"

"Ty, make sure her nerves stay dead, we're going to take her underground."

"Alright!"

"You made the right choice. Fighting for freedom n' all. I know that sounds corny, but we need it more than ever now. Especially with how Twinkle Toes has been acting in the past few weeks."

"Twinkle Toes?" Mai asked.

"The avatar, sorry. I call him that for personal reasons. Just ignore it."


	10. Questions and Answers

Chapter 10: Questions and Answers

"I'm a princess. I demand that you release me immediately and treat me as one!" The rebel soldiers continued to carry her sessile body to the chamber it was supposed to go to.

"If you unhinge me, I will make it worth both of your whiles! Amnesty! Riches! Anything!"

"Zuko's told us about you; you're not fooling anyone."

"...was worth a shot..." As they entered the underground dormitory, they threw Azula's body into a holding chair, next to Ty Lee and in front of Zuko.

"We have questions for you. Answer them and Ty Lee won't have to disfigure your bone structure."

"You were never one for physical punishment, Zuzu...or even punishment on its own. We both know you won't get any information out of me...if that were the case, I would've joined the avatar's cause months ago, and defeated Father myself. At least _I'm_ not a traitor..." Azula said as she angrily looked at Ty Lee.

"I'm going to get out of here, and when I do, _all of you will suffer!_ All of you will die before me! I will kill anyone who stands in my way!" Both of the bystanders looked at each other in a tinge of fearful disbelief; Azula was more insane than usual.

"Oh, that feeling again...that feeling of fear. I recognize it. I know both of you have it...you're just terrible at hiding it..."

"...like I said. Questions. Specific ones. Why has the waterbending suddenly disappeared?"

"I feel you already know the answer to that, Zuzu-" Ty Lee automatically punched Azula in a few key places to render her physically helpless.

"I want confirmation."

"And I want the rank of Phoenix King. Both of these things are something we're not getting for quite awhile."

"Azula, don't make this any harder than it has to be! Do you think I like having to fight my own sister every day? Do you think I lack compassion for you?"

"All you have is anger for me, Brother..."

"That...that isn't completely true! All this time, all I've wanted was a normal life, the life of a prince, and then I got stuck in all of this!"

"Now, _Zuzu_, you don't mean to tell me that after all this time, you've come to resent your recent change of heart, do you?"

"I just feel so angry at the fact that I have to fight my own country! I have to wonder where my next meal is going to come from! I have to move around the world aimlessly trying to evade soldiers either sent by you or Father! I'm...I'm just tired!"

"Well then, _Zuko_...all you have to do is untie me, tell Ty Lee not to bother me, and we'll be on our way! No more of this avatar business! Well, at least, not for you. You can go home and rest; I can see the anguish in your eyes from all the fighting you've done, not just from today, but from what seems like all the time you've done so..." For a moment there, Zuko felt weak, being tempted with the supposed amnesty that Azula waved in his face. He could have it all back, _he could be a prince again_. Just as that thought popped into his head, though, he remembered the reason for why he was here: teach the avatar, save freedom. If he could just save one life because of his civil war against his country and himself, he would feel totally justified in this seemingly fruitless effort. And, he had. He'd saved many lives, just by helping the avatar, and he knew that he'd save many more. The choice was simple, because he didn't see a choice; he doubted Azula was being serious, anyway. His crimes against the Fire Nation were unforgivable in his father's eyes; returning to the Fire Nation now would be suicide.

Ty Lee saw the weakness in Zuko's eyes, and gave him a disappointed look, which Zuko quickly took to heart. This game confirmation to Azula; she knew that she'd infiltrated Zuko's weak, frail mind.

"If you think I'm joking, I'm not...bring your earthbender friend in here, _find out_."

"...it wouldn't matter if you were kidding or not! I'll never go back until this world is free and peaceful again!"

"You _do_ realize that the airbenders and now the waterbenders will never been seen again, right? The two koi fish in that pond in the north are dead, and there's no one to revive them. The blockade up there would never let that happen."

"Honestly, Azula...why? I never could understand your capacity for helping a nation that was destroying the rest of the planet. Why do you do it?"

"Why _don't_ you do it, Zuko? The four nations were meant to be separate, but the Fire Nation was enjoying a time of great prosperity, which we still continue to do. We can't let the other nations interfere with that expansion and advancement. We're talking about the further intelligence of the _human_ _race!_ The lesser humans of this planet just needed to be eradicated!"

"I...I guess I know why you think that...since it's been drilled into your head since day one."

"You act like it isn't fact! The Fire Nation is _superior_ to all other nations on earth. The other countries exist only to challenge the Fire Nation's girth and strength, but we will prevail, because this Earth has belonged to us since the beginning!"

"I guess we're not getting anywhere with this...next question! What are the Fire Nation's plans for the Earth Kingdom campaign? Before you answer that, Ty Lee, make sure Azula stays secured here. I'm going to get Toph."

"_Toph..._what a stupid name. I'm going to kill her too. I'd prefer to make you watch, seeing as how both of you are such good pals..."

"Like I said, be back in a few."

"Aye aye, Cap'n!"

"You know, Ty Lee...my best friend, I think I actually agree with my brother. The Fire Nation _is_ a totalitarian state that must be eradicated...just untie me so that I can fight with all of you."

"...you're not fooling anyone, Azula!"

"Come now...with my fearsome demeanor and skill, I'd be an excellent addition to the military outfit you have situated here...besides, I conquered Ba Sing Se virtually on my own...what makes you think I can't do the same here?"

"...that's not for me to decide! Besides, I know your little tricks! You can't put one passed me!"

"It would be an awful shame if you didn't change your country, return back to it, and have beach parties again...you like beach parties, don't you? On Ember Island? I'll fight for you...I promise. Hell, I bet I can end this war in a couple of weeks with the knowledge I have on the military campaigns stationed all throughout this continent. _All you have to do is untie me_." Ty Lee refused yet again, and waited for her friends to return. She sporadically disabled Azula to keep her strength at bay, and Toph had finally arrived.

"You're telling the truth; we're going to force it out of you," Toph stated.

"Good luck with that one."

"No one's ever been able to fool me. Tell a lie and I'll slowly crush your trachea...I'll go there, especially after what you did to Aang in this city."

"Fair enough...first question?"

"How is the Fire Nation planning to remove the insurgency in the current territory?"

"Just like before. How else? The first air attack seemed to go so well...I'm sure Father would try the same thing twice."

"So you just answered it? Just like that?" Zuko inquired.

"Well, there's this thing called 'self-preservation.' Ever heard of it?"

"No, you're never one to care about that..."

"Yes...I am."

"Toph, is she lying?"

"...no. At least, I don't think so. I'm not feeling anything from here. Not so much as a quake."

"She has to be lying...we'd never get an easy answer out of her, at least, not a simple answer."

"Oh, Zuzu, you've known me for fourteen, almost fifteen years! You should be able to tell...I'm giving you the truth, isn't that evident?"

"I don't believe you! I'll...I'll never believe you..."

"That's worked out so well in the past, hasn't it? If you'd just listened to me three months ago, the avatar would be dead, this lackluster 'rebellion' would've been crushed before it started, and the Fire Nation would've taken its rightful place on the throne of the world! We are superior! That is fact!"

"Ignore her, Zuko...ask her another question. We need to speed this up."

"Right, right...what is the Fire Nation planning do to for the post-war world?"

"An excellent question, Zuzu...sounds like you're conceding this entire charade already!" Toph gave Zuko an angry look, one mixed with disappointment and doubt. It was one he'd never forget, especially during the next few months leading to the end of the war.

"Oh, come now...you two didn't honestly think that your little ragtag team of twerps was actually going to change something, especially in a year's time, right? The Fire Nation was set to win from the inception of its war against the other nations...more technologically advanced, more nationalistic, just better fighters..."

"ANSWER THE DAMN QUESTION!" Toph yelled.

"Fine, fine, never one for the pleasantries...anyway, I'd suspect that my colleagues would attempt to unify the world. I mean, what did you think we were going to do? This 'war of aggression' as you neanderthals have termed it was just a simple struggle to modernize the planet and take it out of its stagnant trend of apathy. In reality, it is only the Fire Nation that actually performs feats in terms of technology. We just want to share this prosperity and knowledge with the rest of the world."

"And by committing not one, but _two_ genocides, you expect to accomplish that? You honestly believe that what the Fire Nation is currently perpetrating against the world is **wholesome **_**and **_**progressive?!**" Zuko screamed.

"It's an easy fact-"

"BUT IT ISN'T FACT! THE REST OF THE WORLD HATES US, AND YOU KNOW IT! ALL WE'VE DONE SINCE THE START OF THIS WAR IS KILL, RAPE, PILLAGE, BLACKMAIL, AND COMMIT A WHOLE HOST OF OTHER ATROCITIES!"

"You certainly know how to yell, big brother...keep it down, will you? You may attract some of the spies..."

"What the hell is she talking about?" Toph inquired. Just as they were interrogating her, the group started hearing large bangs emanating from around the area. Zuko, Toph, and Ty Lee were on guard, waiting for any attack that might compromise the bunker they were currently in. Just as they'd turned their attention to the events happening around the vicinity, they'd forgone disabling Azula as well, allowing her to heat up her chains and break free.

"Well, looks like the firebending's back on!" Just as she said this, she fired at all three of them, Zuko using his firebending to blast a hole through the roof of the complex they were in, allowing them to escape. Just as this happened, Azula was able to evade capture and nullification, letting her to escape to Greater Ba Sing Se, where her personal blimp was waiting for her. While all this transpired, numerous rebel factions began losing members, severely crippling the militia outfit. Aang, though weak, was able to comprehend what was happening, and came up with a plan. He decided that he had to gather the main members of his team, and get them out of the city as soon as possible, gathering Katara, Toph, Sokka, Ty Lee, May, and Zuko, along with Appa and Momo.

"Ba Sing Se has fallen once again...but that doesn't mean this is over. We're going to tell the occupied regions of the Fire Nation what's happened to the Water Tribes. It's the only way we can still win this war."

"What about the others?" Zuko asked.

"Your uncle, as well as the other seniors of our rebellion...can take care of themselves. Besides, Appa can only carry so many people, especially across these long distances. I'm pushing it with the current payload I'm giving him right now."

"But...Uncle..."

"Zuko, we'll see him again. _I promise_. But first and foremost, we have to keep hope alive. The Fire Nation will not, _cannot_ win this war. If it does, it'll be more than the world that goes to hell..."

"Even if we can get to the people of the Fire Nation...who's to say it'll do any good?" Mai asked condescendingly.

"Right now, I don't know, and I don't care. It's the only thing I can come up with. If any of you have better ideas, I'd love to hear them. If not, we need to leave now before Fire Nation agents stop us."

"Sokka?" Katara asked.

"I...got nothing. ...he's the avatar, I trust him. I don't think I have a choice at this point."

"...you've got a point..." Katara said.

"Unanimous? Okay, we've got to start small, so we're going to go to the colonies. Hopefully sooner, rather than later, we can venture into Fire Nation territory itself."

"With you guys...I think it's impossible for you _not_ to start something everywhere you go..." Mai said ambiguously.

"...I'll take that as a compliment. Yip-yip!"

And, they were off. It would be a difficult ride while leaving Ba Sing Se, as they had to sail in the direction opposite of where Azula was going. On that ride, all that was felt was fear, foreboding, doubt, and a whole host of other negative emotions. Things looked more grim than they did when Aang died, and that was certainly saying something for the entire congregation. The odds couldn't be lower, but, in a sense, it didn't matter to them. All they had to do was fight back; the odds didn't matter anymore.

It was either stop the Fire Nation, or allow the world to enter a time of darkness, one of which it would return with many scars, if at all. The next few months, no, the next few _years_ would be uncertain, more contentious than they'd ever been during the course of human history. The time ahead would be critical to the past, present, and future of the existence of all species on the planet. They were scared, they were volatile, and they were angry.

"Where do we go to first?" Sokka asked.

"Past the mountains, toward the northwest end of the continent. Fire Nation colonies are prevalent there, and will probably be more susceptible to learning the truth than those residing within the Fire Nation itself. I just hope this works..."

"It has to."

Defeat after defeat, Aang didn't think he'd be able to take much more. Sure, he'd gained two new members, Ty Lee and Mai, but did that matter if the entire world was coming apart at the seams? Again, he felt defeated. The city he'd tried to protect, the citadel of freedom that he'd tried to rectify, had again been bested by the infamous and dangerous Fire Nation. At this point, it seemed to him that if this war was going to be won, it would take time, resources, bodies, and dedication, and, above all, miracles, grotesque amounts of them.

He looked around, back at some of his crew members, some sleeping, others looking out into the distance, Zuko looking down ominously. As always, he felt defeated, depressed; the events taking place below the flying bison added to this: legions upon legions of Fire Nation soldiers, armed to the teeth, retaking the "unconquerable city."

With one glance back at Aang, the avatar knew that Zuko needed someone to talk to. It was a good time to do it, too; everyone else was asleep, and they would have to land sooner or later, lest Appa fall out of the sky.

"Don't."

"It's so hard not to."

"You have a job."

"And a poor job I'm doing."

"We can win."

"After all these losses?"

"Zuko, I never want you to consider the unthinkable. No one does. I'm aghast at the fact that you would...we love you. We always will. Maybe we didn't like you very much before you joined us, but your dedication to our cause, especially after the upheaval of basically being removed from your family, is apparent. We appreciate you. Soon, the Fire Nation will appreciate you. Soon, the _world_ will appreciate you. It's a matter of patience, and you've been doing great so far. You just need to go a little further."

"...it's strange. Strange how a 113-year-old boy can know exactly how I'm feeling by just one glance at me. It's almost like you're my Uncle."

"I think we know each other better than either of us know. You know, the constant attempts at kidnapping me sure do make good time for getting to know one another."

"...heh. I guess it sort've does."

"We'll have to land soon. Appa's going to get tired. We'll ground somewhere in the peninsula, probably get something to eat, and go into some colonial towns to spread the word."

"Aang...I appreciate your idealism and all, but do you really think people are going to believe that the entirety of the Water Tribes no longer exist? How can you expect such simple people to inhale a concept that gargantuan, and in such little time?"

"I have my ways, especially since I basically can't waterbend, and I'm the avatar."

"...do you think we can still win?"

"...I don't know."

The rest of the ride danced in twilight as the group landed on the largest peninsula on the planet, hoping to court some citizens and raise some sort of armed uprising. All they would need to do is keep moving, telling people the truth, the complete truth, and nothing but the truth. Aang believed that if he were to do this, it would not only set the Fire Nation free, it would set the _world_ free. All he needed to do was keep flying.

"Wake up, everyone! It's time to eat!"

"Finally! No offense, Appa, buddy, but I get tired of riding on you sometimes..." Sokka said.

"RGRAAAAAGGH!"

"I love ya too, buddy. Anyway, Aang, plan again?"

"Alright, listen up, everyone. Ba Sing Se has fallen, get that through your heads! From now until the end of the war, we're nomads. We will not stay in one place longer than a couple of days! We need to spread the word of the crimes of the Fire Nation, and set the world free! I need to know that you're all going to participate and cooperate with me. Without your support, I can't save the world. Do we all agree?" The group nodded in consensus. Mai, Ty Lee, Zuko, Katara, Sokka, Toph, Momo, and Appa all signed off. They were ready. Again, they had to be.

"Right, then! Our objective is to spread the word of the Water Tribe Genocide, both North and South! If we spread the information effectively, hopefully, it'll result in sporadic uprisings throughout the region. This is our last chance, and our last resort. Make it count. We're going to get something to eat, and then start telling everyone. We need posters and quick feet. I want to be off the peninsula by tonight."

"Uh, Aang, hate to burst your bubble and all, but...won't people recognize us?"

"That's why we're going into town. We're getting disguises, and we're making posters first. If we need to, we'll start telling people in secret about the crimes of the Fire Nation. Again, covertness is key. I don't want anyone knowing that any one of us was even _on_ this peninsula. Swift and secret."

"Okay, you heard the avatar. Let's get to work," Katara stated.

With tenacity, the congregation swept into town, getting a bite to eat while they were at it. Mai and Ty Lee weren't exactly used to the life of a nomad, and were thus disgusted by the food that they were forced to eat for their first night with the avatar. The moment was bitter-sweet, knowing that they were doing the right thing, at the cost of the luxury of being regal. Still, neither of them had an _inkling_ to abandon their cause. It was especially strange about them, seeing as how they joined Azula on the fly to hunt the avatar, and it seemed that they were now serving the avatar in much the same fashion. As a result, Aang began to feel a little distrustful of his new-found "friends," as well as the group in general. He began to feel that no one could have loyalty of this caliber. Obviously, he put these qualms to rest, but it was logical, at least in his eyes, to hold each of his members with a little scrutiny, especially after all the defeats suffered.

He knew, though, that this type of thinking could and would jeopardize the one mission he had, to save the world, to restore balance to all four, or, in the contemporary case, all two of the nations still in existence. He felt as if he couldn't compare to his past avatars, all of which could honestly say that when adversity faced the world, they were ready to deal with it. He was a poor 113-year-old kid, unable to do anything much for the world now on fire, and threatening to get even worse.

Once the team was done eating, they set out, making posters as quickly as they could in any dark alley they could find. At most, five posters were being made a minute, a testament to how slow the process could be without waterbending. It was hard, especially for that reason, but it was worth it, knowing that the group had a chance of showing the world the grotesqueries committed by the heinous aggressor in question. Once they were done, with about a hundred posters in hands, the members of the group set out to plaster them on any structure they could find in the small town. Once this was done, they set off, finding another colonial town.

Whether that town revolted or not against its provincial government, the group wouldn't know. Of course, the team cared, but it simply couldn't squander resources on building up each individual village, especially since there were thousands upon thousands to venture to. In each location they went to, they found wanted posters, with their faces and names all over them. It was evident that they would have to stay concealed, even if certain villages simply didn't care about the fugitives or were taking their side. Their rebellion had to be quiet, methodical, and poisonous. It had to freeze the very infrastructure of that western war machine.

At times, it seemed as if the group was going to at least twenty villages a day, a factory of posters telling the truth, in contrary to the "Big Lie" spread by the aggressor and potential victor. As the group moved down the coast of Earth Kingdom territory, scraping the outskirts of the Fire Nation, they began to realize that they had to venture deeper, like an animal in quicksand. They were scared, of course, but sooner or later, they knew that they'd have to travel into that forbidden territory, one last time, hopefully.


	11. Victory

Chapter 11: Victory

With the second fall of Ba Sing Se, total victory seemed assured for the ruthless aggressor, trucking along now for an official one hundred years. Millions upon millions of its own men and women had been conscripted and sent to die in a fruitful yet pointless war, one that would go down as the bloodiest conflict in human history. Though peace had not been officially declared on account that two of the belligerents no longer existed, the Fire Nation, in its own arrogance, felt it necessary to state its achievement and end to the militaristic tension that still existed. Though there were pockets of resistance emanating from many parts of the globe, Phoenix King Ozai was confident that all of these conflagrations would soon dissipate for the simple reason that there was no longer a point to fighting.

The Fire Nation reigned supreme, and it seemed that there was no longer any group or organized syndicate that could challenge that. The official figures of the war dead for the Fire Nation read fifty million, but that of the Allies was much higher, a ghastly five hundred million. If anything, the aggressor certainly proved that it indeed _was_ much more technologically advanced than all of the nations combined. Through fear, death, destruction, and hatred, the war seemed over, even if the Avatar was supposedly alive.

"Terrific news, Father," Azula stated.

"As always. What is it?" Ozai asked.

"I brought no prisoners."

"That doesn't sound like good news."

"Well, if I had, they'd be the same old dreary ones that you grew bored with."

"Are you meaning to tell me that you got that old general?"

"And most of his friends. I don't think we'll be hearing from the White Lotus anymore."

"Finally, Iroh is ashes. This war has truly been won, and at a mighty cost too. For their genetic discrepancies, all three of those nations certainly did put up a good fight."

"Even I must admit that adversity was staunch at certain moments..."

"Well, Azula, all of that aside, what do you plan to do as Fire Lord?"

"I will do what you ask, Father. That is all I wish to do."

"Well, I am Phoenix King...but Azula, you have to realize, you are now a head of state. Despite the fact that I am the supreme ruler of the entire planet, that does not mean that the post of Fire Lord no longer exists. What do you plan to do with your newfound power?"

"Well, in that case...I honestly never gave it any thought. Perhaps I will ruminate about it later."

"Do so now. This is important."

"Very well, _Phoenix King Ozai_."

As Azula started away from her father, she began to take a walk through the streets of her capital city. It was a capital now victorious, a victory bathed in the blood of millions. She was aware of this, but she didn't care; all she ever cared about was pleasing her father. Now that this was no longer her supposedly prime goal, though she still wished to fulfill that, she now had to think independently, which many would infer she would be able to do. However, there was something strange about that: all this time, she'd been a brilliant tactician, fighter, and negotiator; she'd used all these skills to topple one of the strongest military apparatuses in history; would she be able to do that alone, though? Would she be able to function without a prime directive, someone giving her a singular goal to achieve? Could she be able to think for herself, instead of thinking for someone else? As she plumbed the fathoms of her mind, she began to realize this, and, for the first time in her life, she was horrified: she knew now that all she had ever done was dictated by someone else, her father. She loved her father, and she hoped that he felt the same way about her, but she had to face the fact that the only reason for why she did what she did was because of her patriarch.

She'd never intrinsically desired to capture or even kill the avatar, and when her subconscious communicated to her that what she was doing was wrong, her programming had shut that part of her down. She was a robot, a methodical one at that, but still, just a robot. She did as she was told, and did it well, but she never wanted, she never actually loved, and she never learned how to effectively communicate her feelings, especially her anger, without utilizing, in conjunction, the systematic psychosis that had developed in the recesses of her psyche. She was, as some psychiatrists would probably put it, psychopathic, and likely sociopathic.

She did not know right from wrong, because for the fifteen years on the earth that she'd lived through, she was taught that it didn't matter as long as the Fire Nation prospered, as long as it was strengthened, as long as what she did was in line with what her _father_ wanted. She supposed, because of that, that this new leadership would serve as a tool to teach her about humanity, what was good, what was bad, and what she could do to help. Through of all the death and destruction she'd caused, all she'd done was try to help what she could, and destroy what she had to. She was never in it for herself, she was in it for someone else, and simply wanted to help that someone. She was a kind person; her kindness was just used for gruesome purposes. Despite that, though, she was still a pawn of her father's, and, to an extent, her mother's, which is why she was still amazingly tethered to the will of her parent, even if he'd given her seemingly free rein over what would be done for the Fire Nation; and, as always, if she stepped one _toe_ out of line, it would result in her permanent end. Her father would keep a close eye on her, in spite of the indubitable loyalty she'd shown for all her life. He would alter her policies where he saw fit.

"So, Aang, have you heard of any rebellions yet?" Katara asked.

"No...if I had, I would've told you."

"Right, right...where are we going to now?" The entire group perked their ears.

"Well...we've alerted the northwestern colonies to what the Fire Nation's done. Mai, Ty Lee, both of you have been emulsified in Fire Nation intel. Where do you guys think we should go?"

"Well...uh...it's hard to say, really. I mean, I'd love to go to a nice, quiet place, maybe get some R&amp;R...hang out with Sokka..."

"Be serious. Mai, how about you?"

"Funny how you're not funny anymore, kid."

"Sigh. Can I get _any_ constructive ideas from either of you? Come on."

"Sorry, Aang, sorry...I guess we could go to that archipelago south of the mainland," Ty Lee chimed in.

"Why there?"

"Well...I honestly have no better ideas. Directly south of us is desert; the Fire Nation'll colonize that when there's nothing else to. Besides, the people there are...selfish, sorry, I don't like speaking badly about people while they're away."

"Doesn't stop you from doing that to Azula..." Mai stated.

"Azula's different! You know that! Anyway, yeah, people in the desert are notoriously selfish. They probably don't care about the Water Tribe Genocide, much less revolting against a provincial government because of it. From there, we can plumb the outskirts of Ba Sing Se. Finally, if we feel lucky enough, we can start spreading the word in my country."

"I care a lot more about restoring the waterbending than fighting a near impervious defensive line. We can go to the first two destinations you suggested; after that, we'll have to see what we've gained from the information we dispersed. If we can, we'll be able to mount an invasion of the Northern Water Tribe come the winter solstice, when firebending is at its weakest."

"That's...really good thinking, both of you. You know, Ty, if I didn't have a girlfriend, I would definitely consider you..." Sokka said.

"That's...really sweet of you..." Ty Lee blushed.

"Sexist too. She's not your next best option, Sokka. Treat her like a human being," Katara retorted.

"That reminds me...I have a question to ask the two new members of our team. Do you guys think you'd have an idea as to where the Fire Nation would take the rebels captured at Ba Sing Se?" The air fell, becoming eerie.

"Uh, Sokka...I hate to inform you, but...the people that were defending that city...they weren't first-time offenders, and certainly not second..." Mai said.

"...get to the point. What do you mean?"

"I mean that the people that were captured...I don't think the Fire Nation was taking prisoners there."

"...**what do you mean**? The Fire Nation always takes prisoners! Why would they deviate from that now?"

"Like I said, throwing people into penitentiaries hasn't exactly worked out for our country. So...you saw it, we, I...I was killing people. I wasn't taking prisoners."

"Mai! What do you mean?! I never struck to kill! I just wanted to nullify their bodily movements!"

"Ty...you have that luxury, I don't...I have stabbing weapons, things I can shank people with from a distance. I killed people."

"So, you're telling me...that your people killed Uncle?"

"Zuko...I'm so sorry..."

"This...no, this, that...that can't be true! **THAT CAN'T BE TRUE!** _**UNCLE CAN'T BE DEAD! HE WASN'T MEANT TO DIE, NOT NOW, AT LEAST...THIS CAN'T'VE HAPPENED...**_"

"Z-Zuko...I'm sorry...please...please forgive me."

"I'M SURROUNDED BY JUDASES! I can't trust anyone! The one person I would truly trust with anything, including my life, is dead! The one person, who believed in me through thick and thin, is gone! How can you expect me to forgive _**anything?!**_" Just as Zuko yelled, he was about to let his temper get the better of him. As the group was flying, he caught the idea of throwing Mai and Ty Lee overboard.

"LET ME GO! THEY'LL BETRAY US ALL, JUST LIKE THEY DID TO UNCLE! I'M DOING THIS FOR UNCLE!" The commotion forced the group to land at a nearby hill, where they wouldn't be found. His strength was increasing, forcing the entire group to hold him down in-flight and on ground level.

"Zuko...you of all people do not deserve the right to kill anyone, especially since Aang and Katara have not done so," Toph said. As she said this, Zuko began to sob uncontrollably; he was truly at rock bottom now. It would take the consoling of the entire group to calm him down, over several hours.

"He's...he's dead...and we—I left him..."

"Zuko-"

"-I know. 'You can't let your temper get the better of you.' 'We have a mission.' 'It's going to be alright.' How, after all this time and all this strife, can you honestly say that _it's going to be okay_?!"

"Well...Zuko...I guess I'm not honest when I say that."

"Aang!" Katara chastised.

"Katara...I'm sorry...but can you honestly say that we can still win, even after all the losses we've suffered? I mean, a good three quarters of the world is now in chains. We could've won this war before the comet, but I wasn't awake..."

"I know where you're going with this...you're going to blame me...you're going to blame my lack of a scar!"

"Zuko...I really don't know what to say. I...I've run out of ideas...we may be the last organized syndicate on earth that was formed solely to stop the Fire Nation. We don't even know if any revolts have sprung up in the colonies, let alone your country's-"

"It is not my country! It...it wasn't my country from the moment those airships landed on the pedestals of your people's Air Temples..."

"Okay, here's one thing I want to jam through all of your skulls. All of us now, we're not part of nations anymore, we're one people, and we will do this together. That first genocide was an attack against all of us, not just the Air Nomads. We need to be united-"

"Aang, do you honestly think that matters right now? It's cool to be united, but it's also cool to have at least a microcosm of people fight for your cause. Now, we're just, what, ten people? Out of the billions on this earth? The war is lost. I'm killing myself tonight." Silence fell.

"Are...are you being serious?" Sokka asked.

"You should know. We've been over this." The entire group began to choke up their tears, not because their friend was now openly suicidal, but because some of them were thinking the exact, same thing.

"OH! WHY DO I TRY?! I'M SURROUNDED BY THE DEPRESSED! MORALE IS DEAD! THE CAUSE IS DEAD! THE AVATAR IS DEAD!" Katara screamed.

"What can we do...what should we do? How can any of us lead? How can we defeat if anything, an economic, militaristic, technological titan? How can we so much as fight?" And, in that moment, a new head rose: Toph.

"ALL OF YOU, SHUT THE HELL UP! THIS DOESN'T HELP, AND THIS ISN'T WHAT FUTURE AVATARS, PAST AVATARS, FUTURE CHILDREN, PAST ELDERS, OR ANYONE ELSE WOULD WANT! WE'RE THE ONLY ONES, OKAY?! THAT'S THAT. IT'S FELT LIKE THAT SINCE I JOINED THIS RAGTAG TEAM OF IDIOTS. IF I WANTED TO BE DEPRESSED, I WOULD'VE STAYED MY ASS IN AN ARISTOCRATIC SECT OF THE EARTH KINGDOM GOVERNMENT. YOU KNOW WHAT? WE'LL MAKE DO! AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT UNTIL WE DIE OR WE WIN THIS FUCKING WAR! THAT'S THE WAY IT'S GOING TO BE, AND NONE OF YOU HAVE A SAY IN IT! WE HAVE A JOB!"

"Toph-"

"If it doesn't help to say it, Twinkle Toes, I'm going to reincarnate us another avatar, since you don't act like one." With that, the group fell into an even deeper silence, awaiting instructions from the empowered and angered Toph.

"Okay, finally...what we do is gather a guerrilla force, one capable of harassing the forces at the North Pole. We do what we need to do there, get the waterbending back on. That is the first objective. If I hear any bitching on the way there, I am personally pushing you off Appa and telling someone to detail to me how you fall. I'll love to hear about it. Another thing: on the way, Twinkle, you're learning more firebending. Zuko will report directly to me on your progress; if I hear about you slacking, I'm shoving rocks up your anus. Got it?"

"Y-yes-"

"'-Y-yes,' you're the avatar, act like it. Yes, I know, the situation you face is a little unprecedented, to my knowledge, but constantly complaining about your predecessor and stuff like that won't help anything. The rest of you, you're fomenting an army, and a large one at that. Tell them we attack the North Pole on December 21st. With any luck, we'll be able to revive the koi the night of, and be able to command basic guerrilla attacks on the Earth Kingdom Peninsula.

"...on it, Cap'n...?" Sokka said half-jokingly.

"Sokka, actually have some confidence for once. You've mostly gotten us this far, I'll just be heading the effort the rest of the way." With that command, the congregation set off, avoiding Fire Nation troops on the way. Their mission was clear, and much more dire. This truly was their last chance. If they couldn't retake the North Pole, waterbending would likely be lost for decades, and the Fire Nation truly would fall to an era of disunity, fomented by numerous political movements vying for political power after Azula's death. Even if she was a follower of her father's, no one could deny the fact that her command was somewhat hypnotic, owing to the fact that if one so much as had thoughts of defying her, she would sometimes personally come to that person's doorstep and issue lightning right at their chest. She was an autocratic leader, leading a totalitarian and authoritarian regime, one that would fall apart at the seams come her demise, if it wasn't consolidated by a true victory in the almost one-hundred-one year war.

"Nora, get up," her mother said. "It's time for work, we need food just like you do."

"...what?"

"GET UP NOW! BEFORE THE MARSHAL MAKES US!"

"Right, right, sorry! God, I hate this..."

"Be thankful that the Fire Nation spared us instead of burning us to a crisp."

"Fire Nation doctrine forbids them from massacring on most occasions."

"You didn't hear?"

"Hear what? You mean that talk about a Water Tribe genocide?"

"Yeah, so that kinda disproves what you just said."

"That's obviously propaganda created by terrorist cells. The Fire Nation keeps us safe, unlike our previous life as simple villagers. Besides, you've read the history on the war. The other three nations started hostilities."

"...why do you pledge loyalty to them so easily?"

"What else is there to pledge loyalty to? Ba Sing Se fell to them a long time ago, might as well embrace it. And it can't be that bad. I'm sure that if you went to either poles, the place would be bustling with those Inuits. You're too gullible."

"I certainly hope you're right...now, go, I mean it. Off to work. We have to help those boys out in the field, like you want. The sooner the war's over, the better."

"Hey, honey...care for a good time?"

"Go to hell."

"Fine, you're just a peasant anyway...come on...I promise I'll treat you right."

"You're a soldier. You've kinda sworn off this whole sex thing. Go and fight the White Lotus or something."

"Feisty, aren't you? Come here! Come here now!" She started to run, and she started to follow.

"I'm not a lesbian! Get away from me! Screw off!"

"Entertain a soldier for a little while...come on..."

"I have work, just get off me! If I can't go, you won't have tools to fight with!"

"What makes you think I need tools? I bend just fine...now, bend over..."

"HELP! GET THIS BITCH OFF ME! SHE'S TRYING TO RAPE ME!" And at that moment, a small group of soldiers began doing the same thing that the first soldier had been doing. This was going to be a terrible day in Nora's life, one she would never forget.

"If you'd just held still like a good girl, we wouldn't have had to hurt you like we did. Pray we don't come back." Nora felt destroyed, violated, and, above all else, less of a person. Despite that, though, she went to work, she ate, she slept, she paid her dues. She seemed not to care at all about the gross injustice that had swept her small village on the Earth Kingdom Peninsula. Not one bit. It was that apathy that would have to be removed if she, along with the rest of the world, was going to throw off the chains of oppression, and free themselves from the tyranny of not just the Fire Nation, but all future aggressors. If freedom was going to survive, it would do so by her hand, and by millions, possibly billions of others.

"What...what happened?" Nora's mother asked.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"I...I have an idea..."

"Let's keep it an idea."

"I told you something needed to be done."

"As if one act would prompt me to revolt against the greatest government on earth."

"You say that...but I'm sure that not even you believe what you're saying."

"Whatever's enough not to get us killed."

"...I suppose its that fear of death that keeps us in line..."

"...anything to serve the righteous Fire Nation."


	12. The Burning

Chapter 12: The Burning

For Nora, acts like that, heinous as they were, were not far in magnitude from what she experienced every day. She was treated as less than human, and, as such, was subject to things as bad as legislated discrimination. Her kind were not allowed to do anything with Fire Nation citizens, at least, not without the approval of an adult Fire Nation individual. She was subordinate to all of the Fire Nation's children, no matter what, and the saddest part about that was the fact that she'd grown up like that. From birth to sixteen, she'd been brought up with Fire Nation history, a sense of inferiority, and a ruling class of white-skinned administrators that treated her as one would treat a disobedient animal. These were dark times, and it would take drastic measures to unseat the apathy and ignorance that plagued the outskirts of the growing Fire Nation empire. It would take something that would insight anarchy in all of the borderlands all at once, something that would surprise people so effectively as to catch the absolute monarchy of the Fire Nation off guard. It would take the death of someone, someone not necessarily important; the way in which they die would have to be jarring.

"Another day. Get up," Nora's mother said.

"It was my fault. I should've been complacent."

"...I suppose you're right."

"Mom...if I may ask-"

"One question, then off to work, and fast."

"Did you grow up with the Fire Nation?"

"Well, as you know, the Fire Nation came when I was just a small child. That was over fifty years ago. So, yes, I suppose I grew up with them. I know all about Fire Nation history, but ever since that pesky avatar came back from the dead a year ago, the workload has been a little larger. As a result of the fact that that airbender's little rebellion failed, we've been given generous concessions."

"I...I guess I should thank you."

"You're welcome. Off you go." Same old, same old. Aside from the fact that Nora did not have to undergo any further molestation, she did venture to her place of work, a place at which she was frequently harassed. There was something about her, something that appealed to multitudes of people: she had dark brown eyes, a tall and slender figure, rare in the camps at which she worked. She sported a slightly athletic figure, one probably obtained by the vast amounts of running that she had to commit to in order to outrun certain unwanted pursuers. It was a sad life, but it was all that she knew.

There was something about her, though; a sense that there was something wrong in this world. Of course, there was, to normal bystanders, but she'd grown up with all this anguish and heartache. She'd come to expect it as part of life, and from the day she was indoctrinated, she was always told that the conditions she was living in were among some of the best in the world, that she should be thankful that rape was all that happened to her, that she should've allowed her Fire Nation overlords to take advantage of her without question. It was something that she never quite thought about, mostly because of the fact that it had been discouraged by her provincial government; she, like many of her colleagues, was taught to obey, nothing more, nothing less. All that she professed to care about, such as winning the war against these "rebellious hacks that pervert the existence of the Fire Nation," was programmed into her by years of "school," teaching her that she was far less than anything human.

It was that very notion, that idea that she'd had at the age of sixteen, that finally galvanized her into action. She started to think about all the information supplied to her: the idea that waterbenders no longer existed, the fact that airbenders had gone mysteriously extinct one hundred years prior, the hope that the earthbenders would finally submit to "racially pure" firebender rule. She looked at all this for the very first time. She assessed it, and thought about it for several days afterward. She plumbed the depths of these facts and ideas, and, at the end of it all, finally came to a conclusion: something was wrong.

That was all she could muster, though: years upon years of being inebriated by the teachings of the Fire Nation allowed her only that dissenting thought, something for which she would most likely be put to death, or, at the very least, tortured. Even so, she thought, how could the Fire Nation possibly be able to infiltrate each and every one of her thoughts? How would the Fire Nation know if she hated the regime she was currently living under? How would the Fire Nation be aware of any impending calamity that would unseat it from power if it came from a single person, one that didn't share her ideas with anyone else? It was an interesting thought to her, one that she built on. The date was November 1st, fifty days before the attack on the North Pole that she was completely ignorant about. Obviously, something would have to be done for the populations of the borderlands to even consider trusting an avatar that had failed numerous times to flout Fire Nation policy; she could do that something.

"Tao, I hear you're a good painter," Nora complimented.

"Am. Why?"

"I have a portrait I want you to draw."

"What is it of?"

"You'll know come tonight."

"I barely know you. What are you planning?"

"I was raped, okay?"

"WOAH. WOAH. NOT OKAY. CAN'T JOKE ABOUT THAT."

"I know it's not okay. I'm not."

"I don't believe you!"

"Do I have a history of lying?"

"No, but you do have one of attracting a lot of things around here...especially attention."

"Are you saying that because I'm a woman?"

"N-no! It's...it's just...I really don't want to get in trouble.

"It's not anything rebellious. I just want you to paint something for me. Come on, I already shared with you something EXTREMELY personal...I feel like you're obligated to do this for me now."

"If I get _any_ reprisals for this, I will kill you...I'm not kidding."

"I don't expect you to be."

The plan was set. What Nora was going to do was known to no one but herself, and she intended on keeping it that way. No one could know what she planned to do, especially since this single act could hold the key to the freedom of the world. All she had to do was be brave enough to go through with it. That was all.

Her forced sexual encounter taught her a lot about herself, as well as the world, specifically the state of things. She learned that this thing called self-preservation was a boon, as well as a blight. She learned that for people to be jolted out of their carelessness, they had to be shown something terrible, something incredible, and something dangerous. They had to be shown something that would circulate quickly, not just fizzle up in one petty attempt for change. They had to be shown that the burning of one would lead to the burning of all if it wasn't stymied at its source. They had to be shown that action would have to be taken unless they all wanted to be burned to the ground.

"Alright, what do you want me to draw?"

"Please don't fail me. Please draw this. Do not fear. Please. The entire world depends on this."

"What. Is. It?" And just as he asked that, she set herself on fire. She began writhing on the floor, in a pain so terrible that the entire village was awoken by the commotion. As the villagers began to spool out of their huts, Nora began to recite what she'd planned to say.

"FIGHT BACK! THE ODDS DON'T MATTER ANYMORE! FIGHT BACK! OR WHAT HAS BECOME OF ME WILL HAPPEN TO YOU! THE FIRE NATION IS NOT OUR FRIEND, AND NEVER HAS BEEN! FIGHT! NOT ONLY FOR THE EARTH KINGDOM, BUT FOR THE EARTH!" Just as she said all this, the marshal, along with her subordinates, came out of their administrative structure.

"All of you! There is nothing to see here! Back to your huts! Or there will blood!" As she said this, multiple whispers occupied the ensuing crowd that had gathered. In the end, no battle fomented, and the villagers did retreat. However, the death of Nora would not go down in vain. Something would happen, because it would have to.

Nora's mother was in pain, real pain, for the first time in her life. The Fire Nation had taken her husband. The Fire Nation had taken her parents. And now, it had taken her daughter, or supposedly. Whether Fire Nations perpetrated the pain against her daughter or not was, eventually, irrelevant to her. The fact of the matter was that something had to be done about the Fire Nation, lest the entire Earth Kingdom go the same way that the Water Tribes and Air Nomads had ventured. She wouldn't let this moment of her life die, she couldn't. She would have to keep it alive, for her country's, no, for her _world's_ sake.

"You were with my daughter the night she died. What did you do?" The mother asked.

"It was all very strange...earlier that day, she'd asked me to paint her...dying. She didn't specifically tell me she was going to do anything even remotely close to that, but, then again, she didn't tell me what she was going to do at all. It all caught me by surprise."

"I pray to the spirits that you're telling the truth...did you keep your painting?"

"It was such an interesting spectacle that I had to. It's a keepsake, even if it's a tragic one."

"...give it to me. I think I know what my daughter wanted to do with it."

"Uh...I guess I can make copies."

"That would be splendid. Absolutely perfect. Please do."

"Uh...sure, miss, not sure where you're going with this, but as long as I'm not implicated, I really don't care. Good luck with whatever it is you're going to do."

"I'll need it..." That night, she slept, plan in mind for what to do tomorrow. She'd have to escape the village, travel the world, though she wasn't aware of it yet. It would take something more, something a little surreal to jolt her out of her current place of relative complacency. Fitting that it would be a dream that would galvanize her.

Nothing was said in her epiphany. She just saw one, singular, unreal image, at least, to her: she was on a volcano, stabbing someone. Whether this would eventually happen or not was completely debatable, as at the moment she saw this, she immediately realized she was dreaming. But she liked it. She loved it. She felt alive, for the first time in her half-century on this planet. She felt as if she was doing something, even if it was just in a dream. That's what proved it to her: she could either disregard the fact that the government that ruled her took away her family members, or she could revolt, she could fight, she could raise awareness. A hard choice, though it was, she chose the latter.

The next day, she started raising opposition. The first step in this was to begin discussing the conditions of life that the citizens had lived under for more than fifty years. Though all of them had been conditioned to accept these terms of existence, they did start to ponder why they were treated so badly, while others were not. This took weeks; by the time December came around, she'd gained a small following. That was where the avatar came in. Thankfully, before the spiritual figure arrived, however, she was able to send out posters on the death of her child, which depicted a painting of a woman being burnt alive, in unique and vivid detail. She hoped that it would do what she intended it to do, but all she could do was hope, all she could do was count on luck. And, luck responded.

"Twenty days until D-Day..." Aang said.

"You're not gonna get depressed again, are you?" Toph asked sternly.

"No, no...just amazing to me. We have a chance at reviving the war effort."

"No. We _will_ revive the war effort. It's not a question."

"Right, right."

"Alright, guys, we're coming up on another village. We're going to ask around to see if this place is susceptible to any sort of armed uprising. If this succeeds, we'll have liberated a hundred villages! We can do this!" Toph yelled.

It was the mother Asura's lucky day. Perhaps her daughter wouldn't have burned in vain. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it: a flying bison carrying a few people, none of which she recognized immediately. However, upon further inspection, and again, this was based upon complete luck, she was able to make out their faces. This instantly invigorated her confidence, as she made her way to their encampment, hoping to broker a deal through which she'd be able to free her village. Just as she came upon the camp, though, she was promptly incapacitated, trapped to await questioning. Around an hour later, she stirred.

"_Who are you? Why have you come here?_" Mai asked.

"It's...it's really him! The avatar-"

"Answer the question! Who are you and why are you here?"

"Apologies! Apologies. I am Asura, I'm a worker at one of the plants you see over there. I make weapons for the Fire Nation. I'm so happy you've arrived! You can free our village now!" The group began whispering to each other.

"Obvious spy is obvious," Sokka chimed in.

"I would agree...but the vibrations coming from her didn't indicate that she was lying..."

"What if she's a super-liar like Azula?" Zuko asked.

"There's only one Azula on this planet. I'm sure only one other person could come close to replicating her, and it's definitely not this old lady. Aang, since you're the avatar, and you need to build confidence, I'm going to throw the decision to you. What should we do?"

"Well, she said it herself...she wants her village freed. From the looks of her, her village has probably been occupied by the Fire Nation for some time."

"Then that means that she's probably indoctrinated. She probably thinks that the Air Nomads had an army or something..." Katara suggested.

"Well, it's worth a shot. The more villages we can command, the better. Besides, you know we're basically telling the heads of these little towns to meet us around the North Pole on the 21st. Twenty gold pieces says that half of them won't show up," Aang countered.

"You have a point...alright. We'll trust her."

"Please...my village yearns to be rid of our Fire Nation administrators. They treat us as sub-human. They torture us. We are not allowed to do anything with them without their approval. They...they rape us..."

"Then I have one question for you," Zuko stated. "What does the Water Tribe Genocide mean to you?"

"I'd just recently found out about that, through some posters that were left on some buildings about a month or so ago...I suppose I believe it. From the way that the Fire Nation treats us, it wouldn't be any stretch of the imagination to realize that what they tell us in terms of news is probably lies and propaganda."

"Good answer. Alright, we'll help, but we need to install a commander for this village by the end of the revolt. We will tell you why later; we're still not sure if we can fully trust you or not."

"I—I completely understand! Thank you! My daughter would be so proud!"

With the deliberation closed, the group set out to find the main Fire Nation structure in the village, burn it down, and present a call to action for all the citizens within the vicinity.

"Remember, only Fire Nation soldiers. No civilian casualties. That goes especially for you two, Zuko and Mai. No killing."

"Have I ever killed before?"

"You've come close. That's good enough for me," Toph said.

"Yeah, Sifu Hothead!" Aang chimed. Zuko was a little incensed, as well as a little lightened by the petty name-calling. With that last tip, they approached the capital building. Ty Lee and Mai were to disable any Fire Nation soldiers they could, while Toph and Aang were to find a way through the back to infiltrate the structure. Katara, Sokka, and Zuko were to propagate an uprising by providing moral support to the surrounding villagers.

With their objectives set, each team accomplished their objectives swimmingly, while accruing no civilian casualties. In fact, no fatalities were gained at all, honoring the team's rule of moral cleanliness, as well as a possible thorn in the side of the rebellion. Soon, the Fire Nation administrators released the entire force to put down the revolt taking place outside, only to be destroyed by Team Avatar. It was little more than a slaughter, and a commander was chosen for the village: Asura.

"Asura, this is what we need you to do. Due to the Water Tribe Genocide, waterbending no longer exists, and only a couple water tribesmen are still extant; two are among us here. We need you, on December 21st, to attack the North Pole, where the koi that power waterbending are located. Fifty or so other villages will be joining us, as well as many more should we be able to convince other leaders to fight with us. You'll be helping a lot of people by doing this; please don't fail us," Aang commanded.

"As you command, Avatar Aang. Thank you, and good luck. I believe that we can win this war."

"As do I."

"Also, if you see any Fire Nation soldiers, I must ask you to immediately incapacitate them, or act as if you're still under Fire Nation rule. That country cannot know that were are fomenting rebellion in numerous sects of their colonies."

"Right, right."

And, with that, the group was off. What forces they would be allotted on the 21st, they wouldn't know; what they did know was that if they were to win the war, they would have to retake the North Pole. To win the war, they would have to communicate to the people that the government they were living under was unprecedented, cruel, and autocratic. They had to know that they had the right to fight, they had the right to live, and they had the right to be free. Only then would the power of the Fire Nation be destroyed outright, and it would take a ubiquitous amount of doing. The dissemination of posters all throughout the peninsula aided in this effort.


	13. Incursion

Chapter 13: Incursion

One could suppose that this was the make-up for the failed invasion on the Day of Black Sun. Indeed, an attack on that day, had it not been leaked, would've been a boon for resistance fighters; it was a moment at which the war could've been won, or at least taken a staunch turning point. Had it not been either of those, a decisive victory would still have been at hand, but it was none of either; the invasion of the Northern Water Tribe, by revolutionary forces, not Fire Nation, would earn one of these titles, hopefully.

The day came quickly, as an assortment of resistance forces knew that had it not been an eclipse that weakened the Fire Nation, it would have had to be winter, something that is not sporadic. In all, the invasion force numbered fifty thousand, half the number of troops that were allotted Admiral Zhao just one year before. Though their numbers were thin, their resolve was iron; they would either retake the North Pole, or die in the process. It was either this, or wait another year or so until an eclipse arrived, or the next winter set in. This was their one chance, in essence: by a year's passage, the Fire Nation would have completely consolidated their gains, making them extremely difficult to dislodge from any region completely, physically or mentally.

"Aang, what'll we do if we revive the koi fish but the Fire Nation just comes back?" Aang had to do a doubletake.

"I'd...never actually thought about that. Up until just a few months ago, it seemed like the Fire Nation got pushed out of a place and never came back—guess it isn't like that anymore."

"...do you think we should fortify this as our forward base?"

"That's a good suggestion...but I honestly don't see how we'd have the forces to maintain a fortress, especially in this cold."

"Well, the Earth Kingdom has basically fallen. We could hide out in the forests of that region, but I doubt we'd accomplish anything there."

"Forests and badlands aren't actually that bad of an idea. We just study the terrain and use it against any hostile forces. We'd get a lot more done, too. We would be on the mainland rather than in some far-off pole area where other civilizations wouldn't be visible for miles."

"That's actually a pretty good point. But what about the fish?"

"...that gives me, an amazing idea. The fish survive in spirit water, right? What if we took all the spirit water we could and the fish with us? You could heal them, and we would keep them in some tank that we would purchase once we're back on the mainland. It would be another thing we'd have to keep track of, but it's better that they stay in our hands rather than in Fire Nation clutches."

"Then this just turned into a robbery. What do we do with the fifty thousand villagers that actually showed up to help us?"

"Well, like we formerly planned, we fight. The force at the North Pole can't be that large, especially since the Fire Nation probably thinks that the koi are dead for good."

"We can't function off of 'probably's' anymore..."

"One last time. Okay?"

"Aang...I know it's been a few months since your accident and all, but are you sure you feel up to this?"

"...shouldn't have asked that. Should not have asked that."

"What is it?"

"I mean, Katara...I...I feel like a failure, especially as an avatar."

"Aang, the circumstances thrust upon you don't define you. What other avatar has ever had to deal with something as monstrous as the Fire Nation?"

"I don't know...but Katara, I've waited for this harrowing war to end for over a year now! All I should've had to do was some little avatar magic, and this entire fiasco would've been done! And...and...I could've had..."

"What is it? I'm listening."

"I could've...had you..."

"W-what...are you saying?"

"Katara...I love you..." Tears were beginning to be choked up.

"I...I love you too..."

"And...that's what's most poisonous of all. We've lost so many people on our 'journey!' What if I lose you too?"

"Well, what if I lose _you_? Aang...that's been a threat since the day I pulled you out of that iceberg. We've always had to worry about who we're going to lose, who's going to be left alive, and so on. This isn't anything new. If we've made it this far, I can almost guarantee that we're going to finish this war, and be able to retire together. I _promise_."

"You...you really do? You—you mean it?"

"Of course_, Twinkle Toes_." They shared a passionate kiss. "Announce the plan," Katara finished. Aang forced Appa to descend upon one of the nearest ships, a candid vantage point from which to broadcast his new directive.

"Alright, everyone! Listen up!" Everyone's ears perked.

"As all of you know, we are about to attack the Northern Water Tribe, switching the waterbending back on in the process! However, because of the fact that we are not in touch with all the rebellious forces in the area, and do not have a close confederation with the the ones we have, we will not be holding this place! This is a robbery!"

"...then what was the point of coming out in the first place?!" a random villager asked.

"Sir, I'm sorry to disappoint...but there is absolutely no way through which we can hold a fortress like this for more than a month or two. Besides, the Fire Nation will probably send an expeditionary force to provide a garrison to their influence here. If that happens, even more will die than will succumb in this battle. Once we have the waterbending back on, we'll be provided a bit of an edge, something we need."

"...you have a point..."

"Alright, if we're all ready, forward!" The ships upon ships upon ships began their assault upon the tribe, volleys of fireballs coming straight at them. Soldiers began dying on both sides, the Fire Nation noticeably weaker than they usually were. This time, there was no Azula, no Ozai, nothing. Their invasion plans had been completely concealed, but not surprising. It was strange to many, especially Team Avatar, that the leaders of the Fire Nation did not think it wise to protect a location at which the war could possibly be turned. They took note of this, emphatically since they were not used to fate being on their side.

Rebels began grappling onto the terraces of the tribal land, keeping Fire Nation soldiers busy while Aang and Katara flew together on their glider, to the spiritual location at which they would requisition the fish. As this was happening, Aang launched air attacks at the soldiers fighting below, aiding the insurgents in taking the palace. Within a few hours, thousands of people on both sides had perished, all for two fish to be revived. It was bitter-sweet; all this blood had to be spilt just to regain a simple power that had been taken for granted for a hundred centuries.

"I can't heal the fish, can you?" Aang asked.

"I can try...but I've always thought that those powers of mine came from waterbending itself."

"I hope this works..."

Katara was correct; she was able to heal the fish in her palms. Both came back to life, and as they did, she felt a sense of power return to her, and she attempted to waterbend again. This time, instead of nothing happening, she was able to raise and lower any liquid before her; she felt whole again. She felt powerful again, but she also realized something else.

It was not her waterbending that made her powerful; it was her power that made her waterbending great. She was a formidable individual, with or without her special powers. It was not a force over solutions that made her the caring, intelligent, lethal individual she was; it was her own confidence in herself, and she could finally say that to herself. She could believe that about herself.

"It...it worked! Oh...oh my god! It worked! IT WORKED!"

"That's great, Katara! ...that's fantastic!"

"We need to take some water and these fish and get out of here, now!" With alacrity, she swept up the two fish and orchestrated a sphere of water around them, all while Aang prepared his glider and took her and their possessions to Appa. The fire still flailed all around them, but the guerrilla force had gotten what they'd came for, and promptly left the North Pole whilst verifying that not a single Fire Nation soldier remained on the icy steps of that temple. The day had been won, and if the that evil country were to catch wind of it later, all it could do was wallow in its own anger at the fact that it could not have prevented such a catastrophe.

"Did you get it?" Sokka asked. Katara immediately revealed her ball of water, the fish inside it.

"Awesome! This is great! Our first victory in quite awhile!"

"We're back, guys! We can still win!"

"I'm going fly us to the nearest tract of land on the mainland, and we're going to get a tank. Do not lose these fish!" Aang remarked.

Though their actions on that day had been great, the group had not realized the magnitude of what they'd done. The waterbending was back on, and it wasn't just limited to a small group of them that Team Avatar had already known. It was systemic, it was integrated, and it was creating new waterbenders every minute. People who'd not been benders before, people who'd already had an element, and people that had once waterbended but were forced not to, could suddenly do so with ease. By the first of January, those individuals realized that their new ability had come to stay, and whether Team Avatar knew it or not, the rebellion had just received a huge garrison, one numbering tens of millions.


	14. The Road Towards Disunion

Chapter 14: The Road Towards Disunion

The Fire Nation that Azula had inherited was one of immense power, something that even she could barely fathom as to how her father handled the semantics of it all. Evidently, she didn't handle the logistics; that was a job reserved for her servants. She was to be the commander of the military, as well as the cheerleader for the country itself; she was aware of the fact that no one else could ever surmount such a job, given the war crimes perpetrated by the nation. And, like any of her other missions, she accomplished it swimmingly, with a type of guile derived only from something that someone liked doing. Whether she actually fancied ruling a country, or doing anything else with her time, was debatable; again, she was commanded by her father. Even she questioned Fire Nation policy come her father's accession, though she would ascend to the position of Phoenix King once he succumbed.

That was what she feared: a world in which someone _did not_ tell her what to do. She had no plan, no inkling of what to invest resources in without an authoritative figure. All she could rely on was what Fire Nation education, as well as her parents, taught her: to hate the members of other nations, to take whatever was there and make it yours, and, above all else, sacrifice for the state, the Fire Nation state, which was now, more than ever, policed. Never before in Fire Nation history had the country been so authoritarian, so totalitarian: _anyone_ not from the colonies that sympathized with the enemy or criticized the war effort would be sent to concentration camps. Anyone who was deemed an undesirable, such as those that did not have white skin, those that sympathized with the spirits or dragons, and those that posed so much as a minor threat to the regime, would be imprisoned, being worked to death. It was a scary, scary world, and it could be pictured by one simple act: a boot, stamping on a human face, forever.

This is precisely what Aang, as well as the millions of rebels supposedly under him, had attempted to prevent, and it seemed as if they'd failed. Now, it looked as if the ruler of a country had more control over the destiny of the world than the avatar, something that had not been true since the inception of the celestial being. The current Fire Lord was aware of this, and promptly called a meeting of all her generals to discuss the details of the post-war world.

"Fire Lord-"

"It's Fire _Lady_."

"M-my apologies, Fire Lady Azula, I have news to report. In recent days, a numerous cache of waterbenders have begun to show themselves on this island. As it currently stands, they pose no threat; their skills have not been honed. However, I've taken the liberty of rounding them up and keeping them on lock down, awaiting your orders."

"Prudent of you. Why are there waterbenders in the first place? They were supposed to have been wiped out. Who was the general commanding that invasion?"

"Azulon, your Highness."

"Execute him."

"As you wish, Fire Lady."

"And as for the waterbenders. Why here?"

"Well, your Highness...it's not just here. It's...well...everywhere. They just sort've...popped up. No rhyme or reason."

"Of course there's a reason! The avatar and his friends got their hands on those fish, the koi fish. They revived them, and the waterbending's back on. If they had any sense, they probably took the animals with them; we find the avatar, we find the fish. Shouldn't be too hard."

"There are other things to report as well...the force that attacked the Northern Water Tribe-"

"What about them?"

"W-well...we linked the attackers with several quiet villages lining the northern parts of the Earth Kingdom mainland. These little towns...we've not received any reports from them, nothing. It's almost as if they just vanished out of thin air, and materialized on the shores of the North Pole."

"...is it not obvious to you? There were evidently small uprisings in those areas, and the villagers were thorough; they made certain that no Fire Nation personnel got in or out of their small townships, effectively cutting off communication. When did the invasion happen?"

"On the Winter Solstice, your Highness."

"Then it's discernible that this development had been in the making for several weeks, possibly since the beginning of November. We were extremely careless, gentlemen; a lapse in communication this grand cannot be allowed to happen in the future, not under my administration. We need to consolidate our gains and make people know, both physically and psychologically, that the Fire Nation is their new ruler now. There is only Fire Nation."

"What shall we do, Fire Lady?"

"We reconquer the northern Earth Kingdom. We bolster army movements in that region and employ brutality to scare them into a peace of fear. Fear, more than any other element, has been the tool of oppression and control, and will continue to be while I'm in office. It is what Father would want."

"Y-yes, your Highness."

"Katara...we need to talk," Aang said.

"Is it about the kiss we shared?" Katara blushed.

"...no...it's a little more serious."

"W-what is it? You look...sadder than usual; god, you, Aang, sad..."

"I know...I just...I don't know know where to go from here. In all honesty, I never pondered what we'd do past reviving the koi. I need answers."

"Well, Aang, I think you already know where you can go for that."

"What...-Roku! Of course! You're a genius, Katara!"

"I know. Now go, get those answers, the stuff we need so dearly." With that, Aang went into another tent; Team Avatar had traversed the large Earth Kingdom continent to arrive in the forests of the land. There, they would hide and stage guerrilla attacks on adjacent Fire Nation settlements, doing so until they had to move to another area.

Aang began to meditate.

"Come on, Roku...I need your help, and I need it badly..."

"As always, Aang, I am here when you desire it."

"Thank you so much, Roku..."

"Aang...you have not contacted me in...months. Your demeanor also seems a little more depressed...nothing like you."

"Things...things have been bad, really bad. Didn't you know?"

"Well, I did notice an outage back in June-"

"Azula shot me in the back while I was in the avatar state-"

"WHAT?! Aang! You have to be more careful in the future! What happened to trying to control the avatar state?"

"Things...things didn't peter out the way they were supposed to. And, so, here we are. It's January, if you didn't know."

"That means...that means you failed-"

"-I know. ...I know..."

"...I shouldn't have said that..."

"It's...it's okay. I've accepted the circumstances given to me. Right now, all I want to know is where I should go from here."

"'Here?'"

"Right, right. Okay, so the Fire Nation attacked the Water Tribes during Sozin's Comet. Long story short, both got axed, and waterbenders became extinct for a short while. We were able to invade the North Pole and resuscitate the ability, but the Water Tribe population is probably down to five. Not five million, not five thousand, not five hundred, five. But, I've never been a good counter anyway."

"Well...I have good news for you then. But I now realize that you should visit the Spirit World more often. Many things have been happening since your departure mid-last year."

"What...?"

"The waterbenders, their population has drastically increased. This is probably because of those revived koi fish; the moment you revived those animals, a plethora of new waterbenders were created; firebenders and earthbenders are now able to manipulate water. Those that never had an element can do the same. New waterbenders are being born as we speak."

"That's...that's amazing! You're serious?! This is great! I know I've said this before...but we really have a chance now!"

"But you know the Fire Nation's history of genocide...you must not allow them to round up the waterbenders that have been created. This probably won't be your final chance at winning the war, since the Fire Nation will likely collapse under the girth of the entire planet, but it will certainly enslave humanity for decades to come. And I leave you with this parting thought, aside from the fact that you can always consult me; should the Fire Nation become powerful enough to hold the Earth in its grasp, once it inevitably _does_ collapse, an era of warring states will ensue, a turmoil that will not cease for centuries. Be wary, be careful."

"I...I understand."

"Everyone! Listen up! I have a plan!"

"That's new..." Toph jeered.

"I know, I know, but seriously, I know what to do now."

"Alright, avatar, shoot!" Sokka supported.

"Okay, so I've just been informed of a measurable contingent of new waterbenders growing systemically in the Fire Nation. This means that they have infiltrated all levels of government. Most, if not all government officials that have been afflicted by this probably like life more than their country, meaning that a possible revolt may be at hand. Our job will be to propagate it where possible and topple Azula's regime."

"Easier said than done...convincing magistrates to defend themselves will be like walking into a mine field. You'll never know if the guy's just faking it to get us captured," Zuko criticized.

"That's why we study the movements of the settlement in question before striking. We've been over this a million times: come, see, conquer."

"That's all fine and dandy...but Aang...you realize that by doing this, we'll just be beginning an era of warring states? Hundreds of oppressive regimes are just as bad as one," Toph stated.

"...you have a point..." In a fit of genius, Ty Lee suggested another approach.

"...what if we created our own state? We would call it 'Republic City!' It would be a place where all the nations could meet, where all of them would be on neutral ground. It would be democratic, and we would just expand our influence throughout the area! We would just take a tract of land and bring everyone under our allegiance! Democracy works better than fascism when appealing to people...besides, once they know that the _avatar_ is leading it, they'll be sure to flock to it! He's a better alternative than Azula..."

"Well, you're not wrong," Aang complimented.

"I've got an idea too," Sokka butted in.

"...what is it?" Aang asked.

"Well, in all this haze of revolution and whatnot, that'd provide a pretty good smokescreen for freeing prisoners. I know we're never getting back the people that perished at Ba Sing Se, but salvaging those we lost there the first time would definitely help us."

"Sokka...we're going to be very busy freeing province after province of the Fire Nation building our own country. What makes you think we'll have the time or resources to start doing prison breaks?"

"I don't know...it's just...I suppose prisoners hate the Fire Nation too! If we get the criminals in on this, the Fire Nation will be sure to fall-"

"-this is about Suki, isn't it?" Katara interjected. Sokka was a bit flabbergasted at this revelation.

"How...how did you know?"

"Well, I can relate...you haven't seen her since Aang got shot. I would feel the same way, and I'm sure everyone else here would too."

"I...I just miss her so much...I miss that connection I had..."

"Sokka, I know you miss her, and I truly feel for you, but I sense that we'll have to put this business on hold. With the population of the Fire Nation, prisons must be rampant throughout their country. Finding the one she's in is going to be impossible. Besides, even if we were to find where she's being held, I bet it's some super secret and secure facility that no one escapes from. She's a criminal to the Fire Nation, and a notorious one at that, being associated with Aang and all."

"Well...that's just the thing! Freeing her and other friends of him will show the people that we mean business, that we're for the peace and harmony of the world, that we're for returning to the old ways, the ways by which the avatar led the world, over a hundred years ago."

"...that brings up another point. That was over a century ago. The generation we're dealing with now knows nothing of how the 'before times' worked. They'll probably think it was just like this, only with the avatar probably stymying the subjugation of other countries by the Fire Nation, and eventually being killed because of that."

"Well...then, we'll find a way of setting off a chain reaction! One that frees multiple prisons simultaneously! It'll get this revolution moving! That, coupled with-"

"Right, forgot: if we let criminals join our syndicate, it'll let the Fire Nation paint us as offenders too."

"They're already doing that. They have been since we freed tattoo-boy over here."

"Hey, they're sacred-"

"-sorry, just got a little frustrated. But yeah, we're already public enemy numbers one through however many people are here, Katara. It won't make much difference that we're 'disturbing the peace,' of what harmony there is, by dismantling a few penitentiaries."

"Well, it's not _a few_, but you're right. Fine, here's what we do: we start this Republic City, getting one of the waterbending magistrates to head it. Once that's done, we expand its reach so as to gird it against Fire Nation incursion. Because of the fact that waterbenders are now in the ranks of the Fire Nation army, there'll surely be defectors. We take them in and build our own military, and _you_ can go free as many prisoners as you want. That's right, Sokka; _you _destroy any prison you want. I don't want Team Avatar to be associated with this, no matter how criminalized we've been deemed by Azula." Sokka became angry.

"...fine! Never help me with anything anyway! It's always about the avatar, or Zuko, or you, or anybody, but never me! Never me at all! I can never catch a break, because I'm usually the guy planning and scheduling things! Poor little Sokka! The nonbender! The guy with no master! The side character!" With that, Sokka stormed off, back into his tent. Zuko knew that it was his time to shine, but he had to shoo away Ty Lee first.

"I know him better than you."

"I like him better than you."

"Too much."

"What can I say? He's kinda cute..."

"War first, love later."

"You're no fun...how about we duke it out to see who gets to talk to him?"

"If you want to get electrocuted, fine by me; there aren't any hospitals for hundreds of miles."

"What makes you think I'd let you do that?"

"_**Back off.**_"

"Fine...Prince Pouty."

"Ugh...you'll have your day. Just not right now."

"Then pray he gets angry like this again. He's cute when he's frustrated..." Zuko entered the tent.

"If you're here to console me, I don't want to hear it."

"I'm not."

"That's a first. You're usually one to talk about how suicidal you are..."

"...that's a low blow, but you know what? I'm going to let it go, for the war...for you, for Aang. I know where we might find Suki."

"_You're lying_."

"You know I'm a bad liar."

"...fine. ...where?"

"It's in Fire Nation territory."

"Go on."

"Didn't think I'd get this far."

"Sokka...your girlfriend is right here, with _you_. I haven't seen mine since my friend got killed, and like him, I didn't think she was going to make it. I still don't think she did."

"Then I'll continue. It's called the Boiling Rock."

"What kind of a name is that?"

"A pragmatic one. It is literally a boiling rock. It is a dormant volcano smack-dab in the middle of the Fire Nation that houses water of temperatures far beyond one hundred degrees Celsius. And the time to break out anyone in that prison, which, mind you, may _not_ house your girlfriend, is now. It's January; the firebending is still weak. Had we attempted this before Sozin's Comet, things would probably have gone awry much more easily. We do it now, and we prepare for the showdown that is still to come between Aang and my father, or Azula, they're interchangeable."

"You know, you had me until you said that Suki may or may not be there. You're asking me to take a leap of faith; I don't know if you know this, but these types of situations have, more often than not, lead to the dismemberment of this team. I want concrete evidence that she's there."

"Sokka, I threw you a bone, especially when I shouldn't have; you just insulted me based on my depression. I shouldn't be helping you right now. You're asking a lot from me, from everyone; too much."

"...fine again! What do you want me to do, Zuko?! Is it too much to ask that I get a little confirmation that this plan is going to work? At least with my ideas, you know where they're going to go, and you know that there's a little research. With this, we're entering enemy territory _again_, with no plan as to how to break her out; that's if she's there! What if we run into a bunch of Fire Nation partisans that just happen to be in prison because of petty crimes and misdemeanors?"

"You don't get into Boiling Rock with _petty crimes and misdemeanors_. Only the highest profile criminals and political dissidents are taken there; most rot to death. If Suki's anywhere, she's there. It's a maximum security penitentiary, no one has ever escaped."

"Oh, that's encouraging! Let's just waltz into the joint and perform a good old-fashioned prison break, the likes of which have never worked on a facility of this caliber before! Let's just do what we've always done against an enemy that is cold, calculating, and adapting!"

"Sokka! I have had enough of your attitude! You can either take it or leave it! ...I'll help you, because we'll need you later. As punishment for your rudeness, _you_ get to come up with the plan...well, it was going to be that way anyway, but you get the point! We have to move on this soon, and I hate to break it to you, but if word gets out that you're doing 'research,' she's bound to be moved to another facility, or worse, _killed_. Besides, we free people from Boiling Rock, I can guarantee a huge garrison that 'Republic City' will dearly need. People in that prison want the Fire Nation, especially its government, on a silver platter."


	15. The Boiling Rock

Chapter 15: The Boiling Rock

It was a cold, unproductive day in January for most. Team Avatar was lackadaisical for once, finally feeling the effects of the exhaustion that should have plagued them months before. Aang and the rest decided to take a day off, get some rest; if they were going to be fit for empire-destroying, they would have to be well-rested before taking the first shot. Aang would be stuck doing firebending drills; unfortunately, this would not be an easy day for Sokka and Zuko.

"I'm ready."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Sokka, need I remind you that if we fail, Team Avatar loses two integral members?"

"Zuko, need I remind you that that has constantly been a threat since we came together?"

"...you have a point, but keep in mind, this place is in the middle of the Fire Nation Isles. If anyone's saving us, it's the Coast Guard, and I'm sure I don't need to inform you of what 'saving' means."

"Sigh...let me tell you how this is going to work. This is a prison, right? So we can't take Appa. That means we have to find something...firey. You know, like a blimp, or something. Those Fire Nation blimps! Would you know where to find some?"

"Sokka...we're in the middle of the Earth Kingdom mainland. I suppose we could go to one of the nearest Fire Nation colonies, but they're not guaranteed to have these things. They may be recreational attractions, but ever since the war reached its climax, they've probably been stockpiling them for military purposes."

"Worth a shot."

"...I suppose. Keep in mind that we'll have to be quick, though. We're still Public Enemies one through however many group members we have."

"Preparing for that is second-nature to me, now. Don't worry."

And so, the duo left their encampment, leaving behind a note that stated that they were going to be fishing. Of course, no one was truly energetic enough to care where their two friends were venturing. All that mattered to them was that they got some shuteye, and that they not get killed.

The two friends trekked to the nearest town in the vicinity. As per usual procedure, they dawned their cloaks and hid their faces from any passersby. Finally, they found what they were looking for: a small blimp that would be just enough to get them to the prison, and back to their starting point. They would have to be quick about it; this flying machine was very fragile, meaning that a single ember striking it could set it ablaze, destroying their escape plan.

"We can still turn back."

"If I had a gold piece for every time that could've been said..."

"Look, Sokka, all I'm saying is that we don't have Aang's Avatar State powers, or Katara's blood-bending powers, or what have you, to get us out of any bind we might run into. All we have right now are your wits and my lightning; for the situation to ask for anything more would land us right in a Fire Nation penitentiary, or worse, dead. Presumably, it'll be the latter."

"There it is. I was beginning to forget how depressing you were."

"Whatever. You sure you want to go through with this?"

"Well, it's a chance to get back loved one, if anything else. You _did_ say she would be there."

"No, I said that this is where she was likely to be. If she isn't there, it isn't my fault; not like I run the place, though I should."

"Sigh...let's get started."

And, they were off. Luckily, before they'd ascended, no one had caught whiff of what the two were doing. They were completely concealed, their mission ostensibly covert. They would be in, and they would be out; but, as always, something simply has to go awry for Team Avatar, even increments of the group. This would be a day to remember.

"I know how to steer the blimp better than you do. Get some shuteye, and you might just see your girlfriend tomorrow."

"You know, Zuko...I'll admit, I've been pretty mean to you. I'm sorry. Thanks for doing this, and yeah, I might."

It took roughly a day for them to reach the prison. They'd stocked up on supplies the night before, and were ready for just about anything, supply-wise. Sokka was methodical, especially because he wanted to be. This time, he had a direct incentive: his significant other. This is what made him try even harder than he'd previously attempted. This time, there was something in it for him, not for something leagues larger than him.

"Hey!"

"...hmm?"

"Wake up!"

"...wh—what?!"

"Sokka, get up!"

"OH! Right, right, uh...morning?"

"Morning."

"Have you slept?"

"If you haven't noticed, I've been commandeering the blimp. No, I haven't slept."

"We should've taken shifts..."

"It doesn't matter. I'm used to getting no sleep."

"Fair enough. Let me fill you in on what we're going to do."

"Shoot."

"Okay, as it turns out, there's nothing to fill you in on. I'm completely winging this," Zuko had to hear that one more time.

"Say that again?"

"...okay, as it turns out-"

"-let me just stop you there. No plan. No escape route. No food. No anything. What. The. Fuck. Sokka?"

"Fine, I'll admit, I didn't really think this through."

"BUT THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT-"

"Shut up! You want the entire prison to hear you?"

"Hell, fine...but, seriously, Sokka? Not only with the _Avatar_ be out a tactician, he'll be out a firebending master too!"

"Well, you should've told me about the architecture..."

"You honestly think I've _been_ here before? The last time I was in the Fire Nation legally, I was thirteen. That was over four years ago. Did you honestly think I studied this place?"

"Well-"

"Well nothing. Come up with a plan, nothing better to do anyway."

"Fine."

"And Sokka, if we don't come out of this alive, I'm going to kill you."

"Ha-ha."

Sokka mulled it over for awhile. They'd made it past the iron walls that surrounded the fortress of a prison, and settled on a rock protruding out from under the main jail walls.

"Okay..."

"What is it?"

"Well, I figure most prisons like this have secret pathways through which prison guards can easily access certain areas. They're corridors through which people like the warden and such can simply bypass rowdy criminals without having to risk their lives."

"And you think one of those hallways is on this level?"

"It's worth a shot. We can quietly bang on the walls, going around the fortress. Once we find a hollow spot, we burst in and find two guards. Once we don their gear, we begin scouting prisoners."

And so Zuko did what Sokka told him to do. Sokka's luck was high today; exactly what he'd predicted existed on the level on which they'd resided. Once a hole was bored into the prison itself, the team made haste, quickly finding two guards from which to steal gear from. The scuffle lasted all of ten seconds; using cloak-and-dagger techniques, both patrons disarmed the sentries and hid their bodies. They would have to hide them in some sort of closet to keep them from returning to the warden, so they found such a room and locked the two guards in. Once that was done, they traveled to the courtyard of the prison, on specific orders.

A prison riot had been taking place, commanded by the inmate Chit Sang. Through all of this commotion, however, all Sokka looked for was Suki, and he found his woman. Suki was an aggressive and assertive woman, the reason for why Sokka was so attracted to her. Not only could she stand up for herself mentally, but her physicality portrayed that as well. She was an adept martial artist, which is why she didn't concern herself with the chaos that was surrounding her. She knew that she could take any amount of prisoners she wanted, but she didn't see the reason for why that was necessary, so she didn't.

From the moment he saw her, he knew that he would have to follow her to her cell and reveal himself, as well as a method through which they could now escape with their needed person. Once the riot had cooled down, and Chit Sang was thrown in "The Cooler," a receptacle in which the temperature was near freezing, disallowing firebenders from using their abilities, Sokka tailed Suki. It wasn't long before he reached her cell, and he made his move.

"Well, _hello there!_"

"Get away from me, you creep!" Suki summarily dispatched Sokka, knocking him down and pinning him down against the wall."

"Suki, Suki! It's me!"

"How do you know my name?!" Suki punched Sokka's helmet off."

"Oh...oh my god! It's you! You came!"

"I came..."

"You're-you're here to free me?!"

"Not so loud. Yeah, I'm here to free you!"

"Oh, I love you so much, Sokka!"

"I love you too..."

And with those words, they shared an embracing hug and kiss, before being interrupted by Zuko. Unbeknownst to Sokka, Zuko had followed him to make sure he didn't get into trouble. Once Zuko knocked on the door and identified himself to Suki and Sokka, he made it clear that some other guards were taking notice of the fact that Zuko was oddly stationed at a prisoner's door.

A brief struggle between Zuko and a suspicious security woman ensued, in which Sokka was forced to arrest his friend. While the former Fire Nation Prince was being taken away, Sokka whispered that he had a plan. If it had not been for the tactician's lightning thinking in the past, Zuko would've lashed out in that moment.

"So, _Prince Zuko_, huh?" The Warden asked.

"How did you recognize me?"

"Even without your scar, you're a tough bird to miss...I guess I shouldn't be calling you 'Prince;' traitor would be more like it. You corrupted my daughter."

"The Fire Nation corrupted you."

"Sigh...what is a man without his country?"

"A righteous one."

"Oh, don't be so sanctimonious. Everyone knows that all who are not Fire Nation are inferior. They simply had to be cleansed. This world was _made_ for the Fire Nation. The rest of them, well, you, were here to simply stymie us. Soon-"

"I don't want to hear it!" Zuko tried to punch the warden, but the guards within the room restrained him.

"I would love to kill you myself. Believe me, I would. But I think something like that would be better saved for...your sister. Bad luck, too. She's been going on a tour of the Fire Nation prisons surrounding the country. This was going to be her last stop, and she's arriving tomorrow. You'll pay for the crimes you've committed against your _own country_."

"It was not my country the second those grapple-hooks inserted themselves in the sacred temples of the Air Nomads."

To stop another riot from taking place, Zuko was let out into the general populous to prevent anyone from entertaining suspicions about the mysterious fake guard that looked a lot like a prince. This was ideal for him; he could now plan his escape with Sokka, as well as Suki.

"I recognize you."

"...you do?"

"Yeah...you burned down my village."

"Oh...sorry about that."

"Suki, Zuko. Zuko, Suki. Let's get down to business. We're going to escape from-" Sokka was cut off.

"-escape from what?" Chit Sang butted in.

"Escape from these horrid living conditions! My prisoners have been complaining to me about the horrible things they have to go through each day, and it's not right, I tell you. It's not right!"

"Quit the act, you're the furthest thing from subtle."

"...was worth a shot..."

"Jokes aside, I know that you're not a real guard now. So tell me. What is your _grand plan_ to get us prisoners out of here?"

"Sigh...," Sokka lamented.

"Tell him," Zuko implored.

"Well, we're trying to get out of here, yes. Currently trying to transcribe the idea. Got any suggestions?"

"You're the point-man, apparently...," Chit Sang rebuked.

"Fine, fine. Okay, let me ruminate. So, this prison is basically a volcano. That means it's really, really hot. So we need something cold to counteract it."

"I suppose you _are_ a point-man...penitentiary's got just that. It's called the "The Cooler."

"...what's that?"

"Glad you asked. It's a lot like a cell, except a lot smaller, and a lot colder. It basically prevents people from firebending."

"Just what we need. Can we make some sort of boat out of it?"

"Yeah, could work just like a boat. We can do this tonight; I'll bring my friends."

"Woah, woah, woah, you got extras?"

"Woah, woah, woah, you want me to squeal?"

"Sigh, fine. Get them and we'll knock two coolers loose. We'll be out by morning."

"Good boy."

The plan went smoothly. Both coolers were knocked loose, and the two groups made it safely across. There was only one problem: once they were on the outskirts of the prison, they had nowhere else to go. Again, Sokka had failed to complete his plan theoretically.

"Sokka..."

"Chastising me won't help anything. I'll come up with something."

"Then do it quickly. It's going to be morning in a couple hours."

"Alright, so it's obvious we're going to need something aerial. If we travel by boat, it'll be days before we reach land."

"Supply shipments come every day to supplement the prison. Can we use that?" Chit Sang said.

"Anything to avoid my sister," Zuko replied.

"Your sister?"

"If you haven't noticed, I'm the Fire Nation Prince."

"Impossible. The Prince has a scar; he's also a lot more pouty than you."

"...I'll take that as a compliment. I lost my scar about half a year ago."

"Eh, I suppose it doesn't matter. Anyway, supply shipments arrive at six, an hour before prisoners have to wake up. It's about...four, currently. If we leave right now, we might be able to hijack the airship," Chit Sang informed.

"One more question...when do Fire Nation officials usually arrive?" Zuko asked.

"About an hour after the supplies come."

"Great, we have an hour. Let's move."

So, the team got back onto the boat, and reached the prison before any guards noticed. The pathway utilized in the first incursion was used, and the congregation donned guards' uniforms to prepare for the shipment. Everything would've gone smoothly, had the warden not noticed that some prisoners were missing. It was morning, and roll call was being initiated. A few very important prisoners were unaccounted for, leading to a search all throughout the complex.

Guards were called onto the top platform from every nook and cranny; whoever was found to be an impostor would be taken back to the prison, with their sentence extended. Fortunately for the escapees, there were plenty of guards to go around. They stationed themselves at the end of the line, hoping to delay the search as much as possible. Helmets were taken off one by one, and eventually, the warden reached the people he was looking for. As he was about to take Zuko's helmet off, the group attacked, disarming any guard in the vicinity. The time was 8:50 AM.

"Guards! Insurrection! Come quickly!" The warden was prepared for such a situation. He knew that something like this would happen sooner or later, in his forty years of managing the prison. It was the reason for why no one had ever escaped the facility; he had hundreds of reserves. And so, the team began dispatching each soldier they encountered; some of the hostiles were very well-trained. Some knew techniques involving lightning, others knew how to block the chi of their opponents. In all, the battle lasted all of twenty minutes, the congregation inching towards the airship that had landed. Forces were emanating from the vehicle as well, making it doubly difficult to acquire the vessel. Finally, though, they made it onto the ship, and swiftly left the prison. They had escaped, but they were not yet out of the woods. Azula's ship was still en route.

"Keep watch for any Fire Nation ship you see. If they're inching toward us, avoid them. It's probably my sister." Just as Zuko said that, a ship appeared out of the distance. Azula was a perceptive individual, not one to be easily fooled. And she found it very odd that a supply ship was heading in the opposite direction it was supposed to be in. Supply shipments usually took an hour to complete, and it was only 9:30. The Fire Lady took note of this.

"Why is that ship heading in the wrong direction?" Azula asked.

"I...am not sure, your Highness."

"Turn us towards it. I want to investigate."

"As you wish, Fire Lady."

"We got a problem," Sokka said.

"What is it?" Zuko asked. "Oh, shit..."

"What is it, guys?" Suki asked.

"Azula," Zuko said.

"Good, we can capture her and hold her for ransom," Suki stated.

"You _do_ understand that it's Azula, right? She alone proves troublesome. Just imagine the strength of the guards protecting her. They may be weaker than her, but they'll still be a lot to deal with. We should avoid her ship at all costs," Sokka replied.

"I'll get in position to fire lightning at her blimp. Tell Chit Sang and the others to brace themselves."

"On it," Suki accepted.

"Fire Lady, we should be adjacent to their ship in five minutes. We haven't been able to identify any of the members of the crew, but, like you said, it's likely not to be any Fire Nation troops."

"Prepare the Guard."

"As you wish."

And thus, the battle was set. One of the many ships in the air was not going to be functional by the end of this engagement. No one would necessarily die, but the conflict itself would be perilously dangerous, seeing as both companies were directly above the sea between the Boiling Rock and the Earth Kingdom.

"You ready?" Sokka asked.

"Ready."

"Okay, aim, fire!" Zuko shot off a bolt of lightning at a critical point on Azula's airship, downing it. Due to Azula's agility, she was easily able to escape the vessel and board another vehicle, attempting to get closer to Zuko's position.

"Big brother! So nice to see you again! I'm so sorry to inform you, but I've just become an only child!" Zuko prepared himself by surmounting his own ship and taking a fighting stance.

"Let's end this."

"'Bout time you stop acting like a coward." Azula rocketed over to Zuko for their fight atop the airship. Sokka promptly left his post to retrieve Suki and her fellow inmates.

"I don't know what Zuko thinks he's doing, but he's about take us all with him. I'll steer the ship, the rest of you should get on top of the blimp and help him out. He's about to face Azula!"

"Ugh...the temper with this kid," Suki replied.

In a single minute, Suki, Chit Sang, and the rest of their prisoner gang exited the blimp and joined Zuko. The fight was already heating up, fire being thrown at all parts of the airship. It was slowly decreasing in altitude; something had to be done.

"Oh, so you brought your friends, Zuzu?! I thought you wanted a fair fight! That's hardly sportsmanlike!" Just as she said this, she powered up a shot that would single-handedly destroy the ship, one that would potentially kill everyone aboard.

"The war is over!" Azula yelled. As she screamed, a gray animal flew out of the distance. It was none other than the rest of Team Avatar, having correctly guessed that Sokka and Zuko's "fishing trip" had actually been escapades relating to prison-breaking. The way through which they were able to ascertain the duo's location was through the knowledge of Mai and Ty Lee, both of whom correctly surmised that the penitentiary they were venturing to was none other than the most famous jail in all of the Fire Nation, and the world.

"I'll kill all of you! You can't run forever! Especially when there's everything to run from!" Those parting words of Azula's meant almost nothing to Team Avatar, as it was already apparent to them that that was the case. The entire group had escaped, all except Sokka, who was still aboard.

"Sokka's still on there!" Zuko yelled.

"I'll go get him!" Aang replied. Swiftly, Aang retrieved his glider and traveled to the position of the sinking airship. Just as this was happening, Sokka jumped, trusting his ethereal friend. Sokka was able to connect with the glider, and the both of them returned to Appa whilst dodging maelstroms of fire, half of them from Azula. Entities as dangerous as lightning were being fired at the two, and they had some near misses, but they safely made it back to their furry friend, and departed the scene.

"You said to do it yourself," Sokka said.

"...I honestly have no response to that. You're lucky Mai and Ty Lee are here. If they weren't with us, both of you would be in a watery grave that I wouldn't be able to bend away."

"Um, I think it was worth it..." Suki stated.

"Well, if it was for you...then I guess you have a point."

"And me," Chit Sang informed.

"Sigh, yes, and you," Katara said.

"So, you're the Avatar, huh?" Chit Sang asked.

"Sure am."

"How's that war coming along? I hear you guys lost all the waterbenders."

"Sigh...I know it's been quite an engagement, but an end is in sight. You were sort've part of the plan, you and your gang."

"Us, specifically?"

"Well, no. Here's the thing, to prevent an era of warring states once the Fire Nation falls, we had to think of something. That something was a new state: Republic City."

"So a city-state is going to take out a global empire?"

"You must not listen to the news that often..."  
"Whaddya mean?"

"Well, we didn't lose all the waterbenders. ...well, we did, but only for a short time. Ever since we brought the waterbending back, a bunch of new waterbenders have been popping up all over the world. Because of that, we guessed that Azula would try to round them all up and kill 'em off; we're going to stop her from doing that."

"Interesting, interesting...and how do I factor into this plan?"

"Well, we figured that in order for us to get some human capital, we would need to incite rebellions in certain hot spots. We thought that prisoners were who hated the Fire Nation most. Is that true for you?"

"Well, I certainly don't _like_ my own country, conducting genocides everyday and all."

"We're glad you think that. Care to help?"

"Not really. I'd just like to be dropped off at the nearest mainland point. I honestly think you guys aren't going to get anywhere."

"Sigh...fine. We're approaching our destination as it is. Have fun being a fugitive and having no one to protect you but your 'gang.'"

"Look who's talking."

"...I walked into that one."


End file.
